Superintendent Roles and Responsibilities in the Budgeting Process

Week 2 Assignment 4

The budget preparation process is one of the most important roles a superintendent must facilitate as the budget officer for the district. The budget is the accountability piece that connects revenue to the district goals. Our superintendent is very knowledgeable about the budget process and the importance of input from our stakeholders.

Not only is he the district budget officer but he is the instructional leader as well. He meets with the District Advisory Committee, the Executive Team, community groups, and campus administrators to allow them an opportunity to provide input for the district goals. He provides the input to the Board so together they can create the district goals for the upcoming year. The campus improvement plans which align their goals with the district goals are reviewed by our superintendent as well.

Our superintendent approves the budget calendar that is created by our chief financial officer. He works side by side with our financial officer and demographer to estimate the district’s projected revenue and provides budget updates during weekly meeting with the executive team. Our superintendent also meets with the Human Resources Department to solidify the staffing guidelines.  He meets with the campus leader to discuss the upcoming budget and their concerns and or requests. Budget workshops and hearings are conducted throughout the spring semester to gather input from all stakeholders and to keep them informed of the budget process progress. He must be certain that the district meets all legal requirements set forth by the State, TEA and the district. Finally, he must present the proposed budget and tax rate to the board for approval.

In order for the budget process to be successful, our superintendent believes in remaining transparent and inviting input as often as possible. He must also be very knowledgeable about the process in order to present the proposed budget to the board. Although, we have a very capable and reliable chief financial officer, the superintendent must be very knowledgeable about the budget process in order for the stakeholders to have faith in our district’s ability to allocate funds appropriately to ensure the success of our students.

Reflection: I believe that our superintendent is a master at remaining transparent and gaining input from stakeholders. Throughout the budget crisis this past spring, he was instrumental at providing various opportunities for our stakeholders to provide input. Throughout the entire process, he reminded everyone that the focus had to be what was best for students. Our board and the community were adamant about maintaining the level of student support and learning that they were accustomed to.  This past spring assured me that our district budget is driven by our district goals.