budget – FiscalShare

Tag: budget

Billion with a “B” for iPads

I highly recommend the following commentary in the LA School Report: If iPads are the answer, what’s the question? The author interviewed tech savvy LA Unified students, who also happen to be in the target demographic for the iPad purchase (students of color in south LA and Watts). One of the student responds: “What I’m struggling to

January 21, 2014 Short URLanalysis, best practice, budget, business, California, California school districts, community engagement, decision process, government, government spending, instructional technology, iPad, iPads, laptop, lcff, local control funding formula, Management, notebook, parents parental participation, public education, public school finance, public schools, school district, school district business, school districts, school finance, technologyFinance, Government, Public Schools, Technology

Budgeting Blindfolded as Art Form

Last Thursday the governor’s budget proposal for 2014-15 was unveiled. My loyal readers may have noticed that I let the occasion pass by without a peep out of me. The truth is that all of you devoted school district business officials are still budgeting blindfolded. Estimates for individual district revenues will be developed. Programs will be implemented and costs

January 13, 2014 Short URLbudget, budget assumptions, budget proposal, budgeting, business officials, CBO, CFO, economic forecasts, economy, forecasting, governor's budget, lcff, local control funding formula, work drama, work stressFinance, Government, Local Control Funding Formula, Public Schools

The Money Grab

A recent video accuses “special interests” and “school district insiders” of trying to get their hands on money intended for high needs students. Sigh. Let’s stop using charged words when important decisions about the future of education are at stake. The terms “insiders” and “special interests” are derogatory. They imply that teachers and district officials are trying to hoodwink parents. Seemingly, if you

December 28, 2013 Short URLbest practice, budget, business, California school districts, district officials, education, government, government spending, lcff, local control funding formula, money grab, School corruption, school district, school district business, school district officials, school finance, special interests, unionsLocal Control Funding Formula, Public Schools, School District Jobs

‘Tis the Season for…the 14-15 Budget

The California Budget Project has posted a useful article on the 14-15 budget debate, which begins with the release of the Governor’s budget on or before January 10. Also of interest on the CBP blog is their post on the budget process. And when I say that these links are useful and interesting, I mean that

December 20, 2013 Short URLanalysis, analyst, budget, budget analyst, California, career development, employee engagement, employment, government, governor's budget, hiring, local control funding formula, public education, public school finance, public schools, school district, school district business, school districts, school finance, workFinance, Government, Local Control Funding Formula, Management, Public Schools, School District Jobs

Budget Advisory Committees are Hard

When the Budget Advisory Committee was approaching my boss and I would look at each other and groan in unison “Ugh BAC!” Why? It was not that we didn’t want to talk budget with the community. Hey, we’ll talk your ear off with all sorts of budget geekiness if you let us. It is because a BAC

November 17, 2013 Short URLbudget, budget advisory committee, budget development, community, community input, data, Education Code, government, government spending, input, Management, problem solving, public education, school district business, school districts, school spending, schools, unionsAnalysis, Data, Government, Public Schools

Local Control Funding Formula: Nothing and Something

The California Department of Education has “updated” its reporting software by removing the previous revenue schedule and replacing it with, um, nothing. I am going out on a limb. I have created my own multi-year calculation. Please email me at support@fiscalshare.com if you want a copy. We are four plus months into the fiscal year,

November 7, 2013 Short URLaccounting, analysis, budget, calculation, California, California Department of Education, California school districts, CDE, Excel, government, lcff, local control funding formula, public education, public school finance, revenue forecasts, school district, school financeAccounting, Analysis, Daily Work, Data, Excel, Finance, Local Control Funding Formula

Shock Points: Hiring an Analyst Part II

I find that among the ranks of young and eager accounting graduates who enter school district business offices there is a certain percentage who go into shock soon after they first arrive. Despite our efforts to select someone who is both enthusiastic and capable, these “shock points” are generally in the following areas: Lack of knowledge

September 28, 2013 Short URLaccounting, analysis, analyst, budget, business, employee engagement, employment, expectations, getting fired, government, graduate, job requirements, jobs, Management, problem solving, public education, stepping upAccounting, School District Jobs, Working Together

Hiring an Analyst: Inside Scoop

In a school district business office there is usually a position called Budget Analyst. When I first went to the Pretty Big School District I needed to fill a Budget Analyst vacancy. I started by talking to current staff to see who would be interested in applying. One (I thought) promising employee asked “do you need to

September 19, 2013 Short URLaccounting, accounting analyst, analysis, budget, budget analyst, data, Excel, hiring, job interview, Management, modellingAnalysis, Data, Excel, School District Jobs, Working Together