Never is the "tone at the top" more important than during times of economic distress. With an unprecedented number of state and local governments struggling to balance the budget, facing staggering operational cost increases, and even laying off employees, executive management and boards throughout the country are challenged to foster a positive,…

In times of economic uncertainty, local budgets undergo increased scrutiny. School boards and district administrators must collaborate to ensure the highest standards of budget development, implementation, and oversight. Those charged with the fiscal management of school districts must gain the public's confidence in their budgeting abilities.…

Why should school districts worry about today's down economy? After all, the vast majority of their income comes from state legislatures and local property taxes, with some additional funding from the federal government. This funding is unaffected by downturns in sales, the stock market, and other basic economic indicators. School business…

Free speech concerns associated with collective bargaining become important when unions impose fair-share fees that charge nonmembers for costs associated with the benefits they receive through labor negotiations. When unions collect fair-share fees, those payments often support causes with which nonmembers and dissenting members disagree.…

For-profit education is not a new focus for public schools in the United States. It has been around for several decades, has stimulated considerable controversy, and has been heralded by some as a panacea for improving learning for the nation's public school students. For-profit schools are run by private, for-profit companies or organizations…

Site-based school management opens the possibility of problems in districtwide risk management and liability prevention programs. Describes a program to transfer prevention law and risk management strategies to individual school sites. Cautions that only duly authorized agents of local school boards can commit boards to contractual obligations.…

Aging school infrastructure, changing population dynamics, decreased funding, and increased accountability for reporting school success all require today's school business officials to combine a variety of disparate data sets into a coherent system that enables effective and efficient decision making. School business officials are required to: (1)…

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the standard-setting body for establishing generally accepted accounting principles for school systems and all state and local governments. A brief summary of a statement prepared by GASB's staff outlines the proposed changes in school accounting and financial reporting. (MLF)

In June 1999, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued its statement on the structure of the basic financial reporting model for state and local governments. Explains the new financial reporting model and reviews the implementation issues that school districts will need to address. (MLF)

Presents the history and an overview of how generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are established and by what process the standards are created. School business officials are invited to participate in the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), established as the standard setting body for state and local governments. (MLF)

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board is completing an examination of current practices in state and local government for reporting service efforts and accomplishments (SEA) indicators. Exhibits present the goals and objectives for elementary and secondary education and recommendations for a comprehensive set of SEA indicators for school…

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has two major distinctions: national recognition for determining Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for state and local governments, including school districts, and its commitment to due process. This article urges GASB's 11,500 constituents to participate fully by responding to discussion…

Discusses the Office of Management and Budget's recent requirement that all state and local governments receiving federal grants undergo a single audit (a comprehensive financial and compliance audit conducted by one audit firm or organization) at least once every two years in conjunction with an appropriate federal or state agency. (JBM)

School business officials are best equipped to lead in funding operating and capital needs because they understand the need for a methodical means of funding ongoing costs over time and the benefits of planning for future financial needs rather than letting emergencies dictate spending priorities. A capital-financing plan makes it possible to…

Describes the debate in Canada about using property taxes to fund education. Reviews alternatives to the property tax and discusses education funding in provinces across Canada. (LMI)