The Principal′s Guide to School Budgeting

Learn more about Richard Sorenson′s PD offerings Richard D. Sorenson, professor emeritus, is the former director of the Principal Preparation Program and chairperson of the Educational Leadership and Foundations Department at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He earned his doctorate from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi in educational leadership. Dr. Sorenson served public schools for 25 years as a social studies teacher, assistant principal, principal, and associate superintendent for human resources. Dr. Sorenson worked with graduate students at UTEP in the area of school-based budgeting, personnel, educational law, and leadership development. During his 20-year tenure, he was named The University of Texas at El Paso College of Education Professor of the Year, and he remains an active writer with numerous professional journal publications. Dr. Sorenson continues to author other principal-oriented textbooks. He also developed teacher resource guides, and workbooks in the area of the elementary and secondary social studies curricula. He has been actively involved in numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP), for which he conducted, for a decade, annual new-principal academy seminars. Dr. Sorenson has been married to his wife, Donna, for the past 48 years and they have two adult children, Lisa (a school counselor with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas) and Ryan (an exercise physiologist in Dallas, Texas); a wonderful son-in-law, Sam (a petroleum engineer in Houston, Texas); and a delightful daughter-in-law, Nataly (executive director of a Christian center in Dallas, Texas) along with four amazing grandchildren: Savannah, Nehemiah, and Amelia, and one little guy, Oliver—all of whom are the pride and joy of his life. Rick and Donna, long-term residents of El Paso, out in the mountain and desert region of “true” West Texas, now reside near their grandchildren in Cypress (northwest Houston), Texas. Lloyd M. Goldsmith, professor emeritus, earned his EdD in educational leadership from Baylor University. He was a professor for 20 years at Abilene Christian University (ACU), some of those years at ACU (Dallas), where he taught doctoral courses in leadership theory. He also served as an admissions officer as well as a former director of the Principal Preparation Program and department chairperson at ACU. Dr. Goldsmith taught school budgeting, instructional leadership, and leadership theory. He served public schools for 29 years as an elementary science teacher, middle school assistant principal, and elementary school principal. Dr. Goldsmith and a fellow chemistry professor codirected a program facilitating high school chemistry teachers in developing effective instructional strategies. Dr. Goldsmith served on several state committees for the Texas Education Agency. He also served two terms as president of the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration. He is an active member at his church and enjoys serving others. He spends time volunteering at his grandchildren’s schools and supporting their activities. He also enjoys traveling and attending ACU sporting events.  Dr. Goldsmith has been married to his wife, Mary, for the past 40 years. They reside near their three children and families in Abilene, Texas. Mary is a retired high school biology teacher, serving students for 41 years. Lloyd and Mary have three adult children—Abigail (active in the PTO where she serves as president) and her husband, Andrew (works in business development for a nuclear research lab), Eleanor (a second grade Title I teacher), and her husband, Kris (a chef, restaurant owner and culinary arts teacher), and Nelson (a licensed professional building inspector) and his wife, Kristen. He also has four grandchildren, Luke, Hilary, Levi, and Oliver. Plus, the Goldsmiths’ have six grand dogs! Life is good!

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
1. Understanding the Budgeting Process
Delineating Between School Finance and School Budgeting
Breaking the Budgeting Myths
Sources of School Funding
Ten Steps to Budgeting Success
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: Fiscal Lessons For the New Principal
2. The Budget-Vision Relationship and the National Standards
The National Educational Leadership Standards
An Examination of the ELCC & ISLLC Standards
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: Belle Plain Middle School
3. School Culture and Using Data Effectively
School Culture
Data Driven Decision Making
Barriers to the Use of Data
Dimensions of Data
Types of Data
Assessment
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: L. B. Jensen Middle School
4. A Model for Integrating Vision, Budgeting, and Planning
Sorenson-Goldsmith Integrated Budget Model
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: Shifting Paradigms with Changing Times (Parts 1-3)
5. Effective and Efficient Budgeting Practices
The Budget Plan
Adequate Funding in an Era of Accountability
Analyzing the School Action and Budget Plans
Generated Income Sources
Expenditure Accountability and Control
Collection and Deposit Structures
Budgetary Systems
Accounting and Auditing Procedures
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: Sex, Money, and a Tangled Web Woven
6. Building the School Budget
Site-Based Decision Making
Why Site-Based Decision Making?
Who Builds the Budget?
School Budget Applications
Budget Allocations
Restricted Funds
Coding Applications
Projecting Student Enrollment
Important Budget Considerations
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application 1: Shifting Paradigms With Changing Times
Case Study Application 2: Requisition Season at Cover Elementary
7. Celebrating Success, Acknowledging Opportunities, and Ethical Leadership
Celebrating Success
Acknowledging Opportunities for Growth and Development
The Leadership Role: Ethical and Moral Behaviors
Resource A:Selected Templates and Forms
Strategy Page
Budget Development Spreadsheet
Resource B:Experiential Activities
The Personal Finance Activity
The Personal Finance Case Study: How to Hang On To Your Wallet and Not Lose
Your Shirt
The Budgeting Codes Activity
Accounting Codes Reference Sheet
The Budget Development Project
Resource C:Budgeting Checklist for School Administrators
Resource D:State Departments of Education Websites
References
Index