School finance

Project: School District Financial Plan and Budget

Imagine that you are a middle school teacher, a member of the District Budget Steering Committee, and that you serve on a subcommittee charged with preparing a written and oral budget report to the board of education.

A school budget is a financial plan that involves at least four stages: planning, receiving funds, spending funds, and evaluating results. The five elements below are the driving force behind the development and approval of a school district financial plan and budget.

For this project, you will create and submit the following:

  • School district financial plan and budget
  • Visual presentation containing school district financial plan and budget highlights
  • A paper of short summaries of other school district financial plan and budget information

Complete Parts 1–3 below.

 

Part 1: Budget Report: Paper, Charts, and Graphs

Obtain data from your district’s current budget and from other public documents available on your district and state department of education websites. Note: You may use another district’s budget if you cannot find your own online.

Review the history, mission statement, test data, demographic information, per pupil expenditure, and current budget for the district.

Prepare the budget report and include any related graphs and charts.

  • Write 175 words on district goals, as related to the mission statement
  • Write 175 words on district objectives, as related to the mission statement
  • Write 350 words on the description of district needs in the following areas:
    • Limited-to-capital projects
    • Enrollment
    • Curriculum and technology enhancements

Write 350 words on the budget. Include the following:

  • Rationale for specific changes in budget lines
  • Special circumstances, such as increase or decrease in enrollment; increase or decrease in local, state, and/or federal funding; capital projects; bond issues; and new local or state legislation affecting the budget
  • An explanation of the evaluation process

Format your paper according to APA guidelines.

 

Part 2: Visual Presentation

Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® or Prezi presentation that aligns to your written report and includes the related graphs and charts. Highlight the important aspects of the school district financial plan and budget. Include speaker notes. Note: You may use another visual presentation format with instructor approval.

 

Part 3: Summary of Budget Information

Write a 350- to 700-word paper answering the questions below. Use the questions as headings. Insert diagrams, tables, bullets, images, paragraphs, and so forth, to explain your answers as clearly and concisely as possible.

  1. What are some effective methods for funding capital outlay projects?
  2. What are the necessary steps to coordinate a school and district budget?
  3. What is the relationship between human resources and the budget?
  4. How is the emerging role of teachers affecting human resources?

Format your paper according to APA guidelines.