Category: Education Finance

Each year principals are faced with budgetary changes. One of the toughest monetary changes to handle is the sudden notification of a reduction in funds. The following case study assignment will help to prepare you for this common occurrence.
For this assignment, suppose you are a principal who just learned that your school district’s override initiative failed. As a result, you have been notified that you must cut one teaching position and cut 10% from your site budget.
Using the full site budget you reviewed in the previous topic, prepare a 15-18 slide digital presentation that defends the budget in a transparent, ethical way.
Include the following in the presentation:
The strategic planning and budget development processes used to create the budget
Visuals of major budget components
Justification of expenditures that include staff and technology resources. Demonstrate where the budget cuts will occur.
Justification for the one teacher you have selected to release, or present an alternative solution
How the plan promotes continual and sustainable school improvement and upholds the school vision/mission and the values of democracy, equity, and diversity
How the plan efficiently uses human, fiscal, and technological resources to manage school operations
How the plan proposes the mobilization of diverse community resources to support areas cut in the new budget
How the plan advocates for student needs
How the plan responds to current political initiatives and emerging trends
How the school will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the plan, including the school management and operational systems
Title slide, reference slide, and presenter’s notes
Support your presentation with 3-5 scholarly resources.
Benchmark Information
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:
MEd Educational Administration
MEd Educational Leadership
1.2: Collect and use data to assess organizational effectiveness and implement plans to achieve school goals. [ELCC 1.2; PSEL 1b; GCU Mission Critical 2, 5]
1.3: Promote continual and sustainable school improvement. [ELCC 1.3; PSEL 10a; GCU Mission Critical 2, 4]
4.2: Develop strategies to mobilize community resources by promoting an understanding, appreciation, and use of diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources within the school community. [ELCC 4.2; NELP 5.2; PSEL 8f, 8j; GCU Mission Critical 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Each year principals are faced with budgetary changes. One of the toughest monetary changes to handle is the sudden notification of a reduction in funds. The following case study assignment will help to prepare you for this common occurrence.
For this assignment, suppose you are a principal who just learned that your school district’s override initiative failed. As a result, you have been notified that you must cut one teaching position and cut 10% from your site budget.
Using the full site budget you reviewed in the previous topic, prepare a 15-18 slide digital presentation that defends the budget in a transparent, ethical way.
Include the following in the presentation:
The strategic planning and budget development processes used to create the budget
Visuals of major budget components
Justification of expenditures that include staff and technology resources. Demonstrate where the budget cuts will occur.
Justification for the one teacher you have selected to release, or present an alternative solution
How the plan promotes continual and sustainable school improvement and upholds the school vision/mission and the values of democracy, equity, and diversity
How the plan efficiently uses human, fiscal, and technological resources to manage school operations
How the plan proposes the mobilization of diverse community resources to support areas cut in the new budget
How the plan advocates for student needs
How the plan responds to current political initiatives and emerging trends
How the school will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the plan, including the school management and operational systems
Title slide, reference slide, and presenter’s notes
Support your presentation with 3-5 scholarly resources.

Create an annual budget for the school using a digital spreadsheet. Base this budget on the data and information gathered from the schoolwide budgetary needs assessment you administered in Clinical Field Experience B, your previous analyses of past and current budgets, and any additional observations you may have relating to school process and operations that could affect the school budget. Align the budget to the school’s current CIP/SIP goals.
Include the following components in your budget:
Current budget revenue and expenditures
Proposed revenue and expenditures
For line items that are increasing or decreasing significantly, include an explanation for the increases and decreases, with support from the data you gathered to prepare the budget. (For example, if you observed a process that could be changed and would result in a decreased expenditure, explain that process improvement.)
Strategies demonstrating line items you would adjust if you do not receive the funds you are requesting
Line items you would add if you receive more funds than anticipated
In a 250-500 word reflection, describe the data you analyzed to identify and prioritize items on the budget. Justify how the proposed budget supports the school’s CIP/SIP priorities and goals.