Budget Process Interview

The supt role is the most important role in the budgeting process.  He/She has to work with the Board and other stakeholders throughout the process.  It’s key for the supt to have a good relationship with the Board and to predict what their reactions will be to certain budgeting issues. Being part of the goal development process helps this relationship.  It’s important to have good communication throughout the school year with the Board regarding the district budget.   It’s also critical for the supt to work with the financial officer and to have a trusting relationship – based on the supt’s own knowledge of school finance, the financial officer can make you or break you very quickly, so it’s critical for the supt to have a strong foundation in finance.   If not, then he/she must be very resourceful and have people in the field he/she can call on and trust. It’s important to develop a plan early and to start gathering information and scheduling pertinent meetings early.  The tips from Learning from the Best… are all significant to the process: 1) Obtain unanimous Board support; 2) Honor the budget trinity; 3) Know what’s permissible and not: 4) Compare your tax rate; 5) Remember that public funds demand conservative stewardship.  These 5 tips are a good checklist to use during the process.  There are lots of areas to consider when planning the budget – that’s why involving various stakeholders is important.  Bottom line is that the supt is responsible for developing a budget that works; the buck stops at his/her desk. It can be a stressful process when involving so many stakeholders, but the outcome is one that usually works because all the input has helped manage the possible problems and has brought in ideas and information that could easily be overlooked if just one or two people develop the plan together.  When that’s the case, the budget is valid and will help prevent a budget crisis each year.