Budget Analysis

Budget Analysis Order Description For this signature assignment, assume you are the Principal of a school in a district that is decentralized in allowing site Principals to develop their own site budgets. While you can immediately begin to gather information about the course project, it is essential that you carefully read Lectures 2A and 2B before beginning to write portions of the assignment. Since this course focuses on the very important issue of how schools and educational programs are financed, the course project requires you to obtain a current year copy of either your school district or school site budget and then to analyze it in the following manner: Identify the type of budget approach used – (see Lecture 2B) In an opening statement, briefly summarize as best as you can, everything about the budget—assume that you are a school site administrator and you are explaining the budget to your instructional faculty and staff—and include your own personnel assessment of its long term prospects of meeting the educational needs of the students Describe the budgeting process—see Lecture 2B—and the personnel—(personnel positions, not individual names)—involved in the process Conduct a budget review and analysis which contains the following—(see Lecture 3A) The budget calendar Budget assumptions or guidelines Review of income by object code (and program code if available) Statement as to how the budgeted income amount was determined Review of expenditures by object code (and program code if available) and list object code expenditures as a percentage of total expenditures Review of the budget by program with a particular emphasis on categorical programs Statement as to how carryover amounts are handled in your school district and/or school site Evaluate the budget in terms of its use as a local public relations document