reflections+and+summaries


 * A goal driven budget is one that has effectively addressed the needs of the stakeholders, comprehensive needs assessments of the district, and most importantly enhancing performance of the district, all in regards to student outcomes. One example of allocating resources to achieving district goals is the hiring of consultants to train teachers in science to improve instruction. The district improvement plan goals are goals developed by stakeholders to improve the districts performance in regards to student outcomes. For example on of the districts improvement plans is to have no low performing schools. The goal of having no low performing schools can be broken down in funding different programs and also in teacher preparation. Evaluation of various programs that are aligned to board of trustees goals and community and needs will allow you to direct the budgeting process to meet those needs. The need to downsize the overcrowded high school was something that the superintendent had to engage the community and communicated the budgetary change that needed to be made in the process. The superintendent also had to lobby the support of the board and community to purchase the C-Scope Curriculum. The purchase of that curriculum is an example of goal driven budgeting. The C-Scope curriculum is believed to put students on the same page and to also disallow for gaps in student learning. The funds used for this purchase had to be found planned and also allocated per campus. ||

Working with your wiki group members, **__develop your group’s “top five list of events and dates__** in the development of a district budget.” Briefly describe how your Wiki group reached consensus on these top five – in other words, **__why are these your top five?__** In developing your “top five list,” we strongly urge you to review the TASBO Budget Development Power Point located in the Resource Section, or found at the following link: [] You may also wish to bookmark or review the general TEA Finance web site found at: [] Use your Wiki group and reach consensus to identify your group’s top five list of events and important dates in the development of a district budget, and do the following:
 * Week Two Assignment, Part 2 – State Budget Development Insights and reflections **
 * Directions: **In this activity, you will be asked to post to your blog, your faculty section blog and to your group Wiki and comment on at least one other group’s wiki posting. **__Your faculty and Instructional Associate will assign you to a Wiki group for this activity.__**
 * post your top five list of events and dates to your Wiki group including why your group selected these as your top five,
 * post a reflection on the faculty section blog, and
 * comment on at least one other cohort Wiki group submissions.

Write your reflection on Part 2 of your assignment in the box below. The box will expand as you type.
 * Workspace **
 * My top five, were what I felt to be the most important of the deadlines. The date at which a budget development plan is needed is crucial. A plan must be in place to collect the necessary information. The date that the appropriate collection documents are delivered to campuses and central are also very important. The date that the preliminary budget is developed is important. I believe this helps guide the process and allows for functional necessary changes. The board meeting that the preliminary budget is discussed is important to get buy-in and to also help and make sure that the budget is aligned with board and community goals. ||

Using the reading in the Resource Section, TEA Budgeting Guidelines January 2010, **__prepare a summary__** describing “**__what you learned__** from reviewing these guidelines and **__how you might be able to utilize this new information__** in helping you develop a district budget or contribute to developing a district budget.” After you prepare your summary do the following:
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Week Two Assignment, Part 3 – Understanding TEA Budgeting Guidelines **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Directions: **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">In this activity, you will be asked to post to your blog and your faculty section blog and comment on at least two other student blogs’ summaries of this activity.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">post your summary to your blog,
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">post a reflection on your summary on the faculty section blog, and
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">comment on at least two other student’s summaries on their blogs.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Write your reflection on Part 3 of your assignment in the box below. The box will expand as you type.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;"> Workspace **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The information in the TEA Budgeting Guidelines are the most valuable information I received from this weeks’ lesson. The process is extensive. Preparing a budget for a school district is a collaborative complicated task. The general steps seem simple but require detailed planning by multiple groups. First, you must establish and overall district revenue projection. I believe this part is the hardest. You have various estimates that must be made from various campuses and departments. The funding estimates take into account state funding, tax revenues and other sources. The next step is to produce estimated school allocations based on projected school enrollments and resources. The next step is constructing a budget or expenditure plan for each school and department. The final product is a compilation of budgets with anticipated revenues that is reviewed by the superintendent then presented to the board by him. Needless to say this was a true learning experience. The Superintendent role is one that is one of the toughest jobs I have ever studied. The undertaking of the budget development process is extensive and involves lots of collaboration. When the community needs to adopt a bond election or make changes in the school community, the superintendent must spearhead these changes and make sure the budget is aligned with community and board goals. ||

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">In preparation for Part 4, please review “Collaboration Tips for a Successful Budget,” pp. 134 – 140, found in //Learning from the Best: Lessons from Award-Winning Superintendents// by Sandra Harris. This is the text you used in EDLD 5371, Superintendent course. You will also want to draw upon your TEA budget readings, the TASBO Power Point, and the lecture/interviews to prepare to interview your Superintendent about the budgeting process. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Please take your summary and reaction and: <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Write your one page review of Part 4 of your assignment in the box below. The box will expand as you type. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Again, using your readings and lectures, interview your Superintendent (if available) or as a back-up the School Business Manager, and ask him or her the following:
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Week Two Assignment, Part 4 – Superintendent’s Roles and Responsibilities in the Budgeting Process – //Interviewing your Superintendent for Part 4 and 5// **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Directions: **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">In this activity, you will be asked to **__visit with your Superintendent to ask him or her about the responsibilities of the Superintendent in the budgeting process__** – please note, **__you may consider interviewing the Superintendent about Part 5 during this visit__**. Based on the interview, do the following:
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">write a summary of what you learned about the Superintendent’s role in the budgeting process
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">write a reflection describing your reaction to the Superintendent’s role and responsibilities in the budgeting process
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">post the summary and reaction on your blog,
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">post a reflection on the faculty section blog, and
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">comment on at least two other student’s summaries and reactions.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Workspace **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Superintendents role in the budget process is extensive. The Superintendent works closely the district improvement committee and also has the duty of reviewing and modifying parts of the budget before submitting it to the board for approval or rejection. The superintendent’s responsibility is to give a critical final review of the budget. The budget is compiled with information from campus and department needs assessments. The Superintendent with help from various stakeholders prioritizes the needs of the district and makes sure that funds are allocated and are in alignment with Board of Trustee’s goals and that of the community. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Week Two Assignment, Part 5 – Additional Stakeholder Input in the Budgeting Process **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">What types of input could you receive for budget development from each of the following individuals or groups:

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">AEIS Data, Projections <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Needs assessment data and proposed campus budget
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Central Office Administrators and Staff,
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Principals

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Teacher and school needs to principal
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Site Based Decision Making Committees

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Financial, Structural, Instructional needs assessments <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Teacher needs and staff development needs <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">State of affairs, community, business, opportunities <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Diversity needs, Focus on different areas, Community needs etc..
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">District Improvement Committee
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Teacher Organizations
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Key Stakeholders
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Board of Trustees

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Please summarize the responses to the question and prepare a statement of your reactions (this may be a one page paper). <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Please take your summary and reaction and:
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">post the summary and reaction on your blog,
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">post a reflection on the faculty section blog, and
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">comment on at least two other student’s summaries and reactions.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">Reactions…

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.66px;">The superintendent was very candid and brief. I appreciated his time. The information he received from his central office staff included the data from the district AEIS reports and also various suggestions for improvement of the overall program. The site based decision making committees meet with principals and building principals which compiled budgets in accordance with needs assessments. The district improvement committee comprised of many stakeholders provided information on community insights as well as student needs and campus needs. The board of trustee’s major concern was the two low performing schools and what is the district going to do to improve. The board also wanted to improve diversity in student activities. The results of the collaborations were major cuts in programs along with the combining of schools and reduction of force due to attrition. The budget was a tight one with little room for error. The bulk of expenditure was in personnel. The district made every effort to keep its staff in the face of limited state funds.