Operations research (OR) is the use of measurable interrelationships to explain the predictable links between measured phenomena and variable outcomes. Provides examples of OR techniques in school business management. (MLF)

Improving the leadership skills of the school business manager will promote organizational structure, norms, and policies. A district staff-development program in consensus skills can simultaneously address problems and develop skills. (MLF)

Four experienced college business officers discuss how to communicate financial information to the college community. They focus on the importance of establishing trust within the institution; the role of the business officer in strategic planning; typical misunderstandings and how to avoid and correct them; supporting the president; and keeping…

Describes the financing of a New York school district for emotionally disturbed children. Summarizes suggestions for controlling special education costs at the district level obtained from a nationwide sample of school business officials. Among the suggestions offered are to include a review of private placements and an annual caseload review,…

A recent report of the National Association of College and University Business Officers finds that colleges must contain athletic budgets. However, this will require more accurate financial data than current accounting practices provide. Recommended reforms include more careful record keeping, more need-based aid instead of scholarships, and…

Newly hired school business officials should first review their job descriptions and work with supervisors to identify goals and clarify job expectations. They should plan how to manage their time, examine subordinates' job descriptions, review the district's fiscal history, join professional associations, fraternize with key local and state…

Since site-based management supports the separate-schools concept, promotes interschool competition, and allows community pressures to influence decision-making, great disparities in resource allocations can occur. To ensure equity, central management must define and limit principals' roles, provide training for principals, build consensus,…

Michigan has long advocated local control of education, a philosophy that particularly applies to purchasing school buses. To counter adverse legal actions stemming from noncompetitive bidding practices, the Michigan School Business Officials and the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation collaborated to develop a comprehensive,…

Districts are using employer/nonsalary-reduction contributions to 403(b) plans to recruit and retain key employees, reduce unfunded liabilities for unused vacation and sick pay, and lower the cost of severance-pay packages. Legal compliance "caution flags," nondiscrimination rules, and IRS auditing and correction procedures are outlined.…

An effective college or university budget process is dependent on the culture of the institution. Different processes and budget types are appropriate to different institutions. Understanding the interrelationships of budgeting, planning, and financial modeling can help make the budget more predictable and relevant to the college's values and…

Since school district business offices are ill-equipped to administer tax shelter annuity (TSA) plans, the result has been inadequate legal compliance and significant financial exposure. This article explains the rules governing TSA planning (testing limitations), examines common pitfalls for districts conducting audits, and outlines steps for…

Discusses major changes that could dramatically alter the chief business official's role, including an aging population of reluctant taxpayers; a multicultural, pluralistic society; increasing child poverty; continued growth in site-based management; public education alternatives; the technology/telecommunications explosion; and a self-centered,…

This guide was produced to help schools and school districts reduce the amount of waste they generate It shows how to start a waste reduction program or expand an existing one. The booklet shows how such programs can benefit schools, communities, and the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. Each section--schools, school…

Today, school districts cannot meet the challenges of an increasingly demanding and diverse clientele without an efficient and effective business and financial framework within which to operate. Well-prepared and dedicated school business officials, working in tandem with other members of the administrative team, can better assure that such a…

This directory provides information on various types of contract and outsourcing services available to colleges and universities. It contains profiles of approximately 2,000 service providers in 16 major categories: academic services, such as admissions, media and video conferencing, and testing; administrative services; advertising and marketing;…