Understanding Your Finance Department
A laissez-faire approach to treasury oversight increases the risk that district funds will be lost or squandered. Existing guidelines may be overly general, outdated, or not reviewed on a regular basis. The board is ultimately responsible to ensure that the procedures and controls in place are effective.
May 2012
Preventing Fraud in Your Schools
A series of unsettling financial findings in Oklahoma’s Skiatook Public Schools toppled the head of the school system and led to several indictments. Unfortunately, such incidents are not rare. Here are eight tips for keeping your school district financially safe and sound.
May 2012
School Maintenance Staff Oversight
Success in the classroom depends on many factors. One often-overlooked element is the district’s buildings and grounds department. These diligent employees usually work behind the scenes and after school hours. However, you want to be certain that “out of sight” does not mean “out of control.”
April 2012
School Leaders' Guide to Grant Writing
All effective grant-writing programs have certain characteristics: good communications, coordination of activities, common mission statement and goals, and a feeling of shared ownership. Your list of experts should include members of the community who are willing to serve on your grant-writing team. The only failure in grant writing is not trying.
April 2012
Preparing for E-Rate
It is important to remember that E-rate is a journey, not a race. So instead of letting E-rate fall by the wayside until the next big deadline, we offer a few simple suggestions for completing the work for this funding year, as well as for preparing for the next funding year and beyond.
April 2012
Five Ways for Schools to Thrive in Tight Times
Most districts can’t keep cutting back and provide a 21st century top-quality education. Districts need to reimagine how to educate their students at a permanently lower per-pupil spending level. School districts can alter how they serve students in a world of declining resources, and serve them better by embracing five strategies.
April 2012
The Costs of Educating Immigrants
How much does it cost to educate immigrant students, both legal and undocumented? And what are the short- and long-term benefits of those efforts? These questions are both tremendously complex and politically charged. There is no agreed-upon estimate of the costs – let alone the benefits – of educating the children of immigrants.
April 2012
Employee Benefits Savings
Districts must continue to find ways to save money and keep budget cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. One area of money-saving potential is employee benefits. School districts and school boards still can realize some savings while they continue to offer health care benefits to their employees.
April 2012
Real Estate Developments and School Districts
Consider this scenario: A retail development is coming, with an adjacent residential housing project of three- and four-bedroom homes. The school board can turn down the insufficient subsidies offered by the developer, or it can approve the project, imposing a significant financial hardship on the district. Either way, the district loses.
March 2012
Fraud in the Lunchroom
Corporate bullies are siphoning large sums from money earmarked for school lunch and breakfast programs. Vendors can shortchange the weights and measures of food deliveries, or substitute inferior or counterfeit food products for higher-quality items. Cases of product substitution and cheating with weights and measures have been linked to organized crime.
February 2012
Plan for the Best
Parents leaving for charter schools are not all anti-public education, anti-social, or driven by religion. They do want attendance stability, relevant education, less politics and board infighting, and more beneficial programs development instead of change for the sake of change. They want less uncertainty from poor planning.
February 2012
Follow the Money
Two decades ago, not a single penny of taxpayer money was spent on charter schools. This year, public funding for charters will run into the billions of dollars. ASBJ looks at where the money comes from and its growing influence on education reform.
February 2012
Being Good District Stewards
Donors contributing money or goods are investing in your district’s mission. Let community members know that all fundraising activities must be preapproved by district leaders. Such procedures will reassure potential donors that the soliciting organization is legitimate. In addition, if the district puts measures in place to coordinate fundraising, competition between groups may be minimized.
January 2011
Education Vital Signs: School Spending
Education Vital Signs collection of reports on School Spending.