Over the last 18 months, school district purchasing offices across the country have been tightening the reins like never before while more top-level administrators get involved in the budget process. "When the economy really hit the skids, states got hit hard, so a lot of school districts were forced to make severe budget cuts," says John Musso, executive director of the Association of School Business Officials International. "They stopped or reduced purchasing as much as they could on those discretionary items. Now high-level administrators are becoming a more integral part of the process." Indeed, from his bird's-eye view, Musso hears top-level administrators asking more questions and demanding to see bids--and before anything makes its way to boards of education or governors for approval, superintendents are working with their budget offices "to ensure all of the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed in order to avoid any type of misstep," says Musso. This article shares stories from six top-level administrators who have tightened the purchasing process and presents seven purchasing tips.