Ø Central Staff, these personnel have their hand on the pulse of all financial expenditures within the district. They are the ones that process any purchase orders and expenditures that are allocated within the regular process of running the district. They also are aware of areas where the budget areas have been stretched.
Ø Principals, The principals see the day to day operations of their campuses and the need for materials which will affect instruction. They also must be able to answer to teachers when dealing with the inevitable questions concerning their needs. Principals see the needs globally for that campus but may not see needs in areas outside of their domain.
Ø Site Based Committees, Site based committees combine the thoughts of the teachers focusing more on individual needs of the campus departments. This group is more important to the understanding of each employee and their relation to the entire budget process. These committees discuss areas in which individuals may not have an understanding of other departments.
Ø District Improvement Committee, The DEIC is important because you get the input of community leaders as well as your own employees. This is again a matter of information which helps those involved understand the process. Also, you may gain ideas and suggestions that would provide possible outside revenue sources or donations that could assist in the instructional process
Ø Teacher Organizations, These groups are important for their input due to the need for all to be a part of the process. The input that they provide is many times very helpful but more importantly you keep a large portion of your staff satisfied with their participation.
Ø Key Stakeholders, Many of the key stakeholders are already a part of the process because you want them to feel a part of the process from the beginning. Everyone has an opinion and can be a valuable tool for the success of the budget. The opinion sought from these people is valuable because they will be beside you the entire way in the process.
Ø Board of Trustees, The board are the ones who must meet the public’s concern about the budget. Because they are our public representation, they must take an active role in the reviewing of the budget numbers and process. It is imperative that they are knowledgeable and active in the budget proceedings because they are the ones must be able to rationalize it in public.
Ø Statement of Reactions: The number of people involved in the budget process seems to be enormous if done right. However for the health of the district, so that everyone feels as though they are a stakeholder and that our taxpayer’s money is going to the most effective programs, then the process will be a success.
Hello Chris Coleman,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your ideas. I am writing in response to your comments about the importance of genuinely responding to the board of trustees, which includes the following. “It is imperative that they are knowledgeable and active in the budget proceedings because they are the ones must be able to rationalize it in public.” The board of trustees represents the people who elected them and are often called upon by these constituents to help them understand the decisions that are being made. It is the responsibility of the board of trustees to question, challenge, and approve recommendations made by the superintendent. One of the requirements of the superintendent is to have thick skin and not take the “questioning and challenging” personally, but understand that what is best for students is what really matters. If the board of trustees does not agree with the proposal of the superintendent, she must listen for the reasons of disagreement and come up with alternate proposals until consensus can be reached.
Thank you, Alma Sandoval