Finance Training For School Business Managers

[Azalee Freas]

ESC20 invites all LEAs and Charters to join the ESC-20 Business Manager Cooperative (BMC), to ensure success in a year of budget constraints with expert information and relevant resources. The ESC-20 BMC provides assistance to Business Managers and Chief Financial Officers on topics related to School Finance, Federal Program compliance, and Food and Nutrition services. The cooperative includes 6 Critical Issues Sessions, Touch Base Meetings, 4 days of Investment Officer Training, technical assistance (via virtual, phone or onsite) for all areas of school business and operations.

The Business Manager Cooperative allows school finance teams access to more than 50 hours of technical assistance during the school year delivered by experts from the ESC-20 Business Financial Services team, MoakCasey, LLC, and AGMC Construction Management. These bundled services provide a cost savings of approximately $5,380. Click here to join the ESC-20 BMC 2024-2025 through our Commitments System. Want to know if your LEA or Charter is already a member? Click here.

B. Following the completion of Levels I-IV, annual graduate level courses for ongoing professional development in the areas of school finance and business management are offered at the spring academy.

C. The Academy has been approved by the Iowa Department of Education to serve as a provider of a New School Business Official (SBO) Authorization Program, as required by Iowa law effective on July 1, 2012. This two-year New SBO Authorization Program provides the training and support, and subsequent instructional hours, needed for a new SBO to move from temporary or initial SBO authorization to standard SBO authorization in the state of Iowa.

Iowa Code 272.31(2) provides for an authorization for school business officials (SBOs). The legislation was established at the urging of practicing school business managers. As directed, the Department of Education (Department), in consultation with the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE), convened an advisory committee comprised of representatives from the Iowa Association of School Business Officials (IASBO), individuals holding financial leadership roles in small, medium, and large school districts, and a public member from the school budget review committee. The committee reviewed other states' professional organizations and programs regarding authorization of school business officials, determined the best practices for school district business management training programs, and identified and recommended the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain a school business official authorization from the BOEE. See the School Business Officials Report to the State Board of Education and the Board of Educational Examiners from 2011.

As is the process with other licensing programs with the BOEE, the Department accredits the program and the BOEE issues authorizations to those who achieve the requirements of authorized programs. BOEE sanctions organizations to offer renewal credits to SBOs. See Iowa Administrative Code 281-81 for standards for SBO preparation programs and Iowa Administrative Code 282-22.3 for SBO authorization.

The authorization went into effect on July 1, 2012. A school business official authorization allows an individual to perform, supervise, and be responsible for the overall financial operations of the local school board. Practicing school business officials employed on June 30, 2012, will not need to meet the requirements for the initial authorization but instead will be granted a standard authorization (valid for three years, expiring on the last day of the practitioner's birth month) after application, fingerprinting, and background check have been completed. Renewal activities include child and dependent adult abuse training, completion of four semester hours of credit (or the equivalent of 60 contact hours) within the three-year licensure period.

As a public school business professional, your role would be to support public schools through your expertise in business operations and finance work. Here are key features to consider for this career path:

This work involves a diverse range of skills, from budgeting and financial management to HR and operations. You'll be able to develop a wide range of expertise that will make you a valuable asset to any organization.

Working in this field offers plenty of opportunities for growth and advancement. Whether you are looking to climb the ladder within your own school district or move on to other leadership roles, this career path can provide you with the skills, experience, and credentials you need to succeed.

Public education is an essential service, which means there will always be a need for skilled professionals to manage its business operations. This means that you'll enjoy a high level of job security in this field.

School business professionals bring diverse educational and career backgrounds to the table. Some start from an operations or finance support position in a district and work their way up to become a business manager or treasurer over a period of years. Others join directly from public or private industries, possessing relevant experience tailor-made for the job.

Interestingly, there's no college degree specifically for school business management or finance. However, business and finance degrees, coupled with hands-on job-specific training from licensure associations like OASBO, prepare aspiring school business professionals for a flourishing career.

To see the official requirements needed to apply for a School Treasurer license, visit the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce's website. Below is a summary of requirements.

To apply for a treasurer license, you must first meet these educational requirements:

Ohio Department of Education & Workforce approved program, consisting of 6 courses, 100 question assessment, and Five-Year Forecast Capstone Project. Click here for more information.

Upon completion of the above requirements, you can apply for your Treasurer License.

We administer Vermont's regular education funding; collect and analyze school expenditure, enrollment, student dropout, and school staff data for policy-makers; report various school fiscal and non-fiscal data required by federal law; and provide the calculations for the distribution of federal money to school districts. We also provide training for school business managers several times per year and work closely with the Vermont Association of School Business Officials.

Along with the Annual Report and Budget Book, Excess Spending Threshold, Per Pupil Spending, School Comparison, Small School Grants and Tuition Rates, listed in the menu, we also provide external links to District Reports and School Finance Reports.

Oklahoma ASBO is proud to announce the creation of the OKASBO Institute of School Business and Finance. The OISBF will provide professional development programs for school business managers, treasurers, clerks, secretaries, administrators, and others responsible for the fiscal operations of career tech, charter and common schools. The programs are designed to provide knowledge of the legal, governmental and financial dimensions of all school operations.

The OISBF program is a series of business trainings based on the International School Business Management Professional Standards and Code of Ethics. The program is divided into three levels: LEVEL ONE, LEVEL TWO, and LEVEL THREE. Graduation from the OISFB program is a prerequisite towards professional certification through OKASBO.

Roles/Responsibilities of School Business Officials Federal Programs Update Introduction to Risk Management Budget Development Process Basic State Aid Formula Basic Principles of Ad Valorem Introduction to the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System (OCAS) How Safe is Your Bank? Activity Funds Communications Auditing Critical Thinking: Ethics Fraud and Abuse Survival Skills: Time Management & Networking Fellow school officials will share their expertise in the above topics with you. You will also complete various homework assignments to enhance or prepare for sessions. We will also encourage as much networking as possible. Mentors will be assigned to assist and follow-up with you during LEVEL ONE.

Advanced Legal Issues Legislative Process and Education Hot Issues Board Policies Open Records & Open Meetings Budget Reduction School Transportation Ethical Decision Making Special School Audit Facilities and Construction Teacher Retirement HR Management and Negotiations Technology Updates Fellow school officials will share their expertise in the above topics with you. You will also complete various homework assignments to enhance or prepare for sessions. We will also encourage as much networking as possible. Mentors will be assigned to assist and follow-up with you during LEVEL THREE.

Purchasing Click here to register for the Purchasing Workshops. The workshops will be presented virtually through ZOOM monthly. There are two ways to register for the workshops: 1) the entire series, or 2) individual sessions. Registration for the individual session will open immediately after the preceding session

The MSE in School Business Management is a 36-credit program. This program can be started in the spring, summer or fall terms, and at a pace that works best for you. Full-time students can finish in as little as three semesters.

UW-Whitewater cannot confirm the MSE in School Buisness Management program meets the requirements for licensure in other states. Because requirements differ by state, applicants should review requirements for their state(s) of interest prior to applying to this program. More information on Professional Licensure can be found on our compliance website.

School business managers oversee the administration and allocation of budgets and resources in a variety of learning institutions. Career paths and project work include all area roles and responsibilities found in the school district business office.

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