While interviewing the Deputy Superintendent of Business Operations and Maintenance about the development of a district budget he mentioned the importance of receiving input from several stakeholders as the budget is being developed. His views are directly aligned with this week’s lecture. Dr. Arterbury explained the importance of communication and input from others during the budget process because receiving input from key stakeholders is essential for a valid budget to be developed and for it not to fail in the end. Receiving input from central office administrators, principals, district and site based decision making committees, teacher organizations, key stakeholders and the Board of Trustees is essential because these different stakeholders will provide the most updated information about needs that currently exist in the district. Knowing current information is vital to allowing the Superintendent to develop a valid budget.
The Deputy Superintendent explained throughout the budget development process he meets with campuses and department heads on each campus to determine the needs of the district. He usually holds these meeting in late April and early May. He stated that not every district does this but he finds these meetings very helpful because it allows him to know each campus’ needs. It stated that this information is essential to building a budget. You must know the needs first before every beginning the budget.
As I examined the importance of input from various stakeholders it became evident that everyone is involved in the budget process for a district. Each stakeholder has an important role and is vital to the success of a budget.
The following could be input I receive for budget development from the following individuals or groups:
· Central Office Administrators and Staff: Central Office Administrators are the Superintendent’s right hand people. They understand the needs of each of their departments and have the knowledge of how to improve their departments. They would help the Superintendent adjust the budget to meet the district goals.
· Principals: Principals have the knowledge of what their campuses needs are for the next year school. They know what supplies, materials, programs and equipment they need for their campuses. Principals input are essential in establishing campuses budgets. In my eyes, principals are responsible for developing a budget that aligns with the districts goals.
· The Site Based Decision Making and District Improvement Committees: The role of the Site Based Decision Making and District Improvement Committee is to set the vision and goals for the district and each individual campus. Both of these committees involve numerous stakeholders from community members to students. So, the goals that these committees develop provide vital information for the development and the success of a budget. These committees will provide the most up-to-date information the stakeholders see as goals for the district.
· Teacher Organizations: Teacher Organizations are important because they can provide the Superintendent with the most up-to-date information on the needs and wants of the teachers. This group of stakeholders should be communicated to often. As Dr. Arterbury pointed out “Employees want to know whether they will receive a salary increase and, if so, how much will it be. If the budget news is not good for the upcoming year, the message should be communicated to all stakeholders as quickly as feasible”.
· Key Stakeholders: Key Stakeholders like community members are important to the development of the budget because community members can provide information like if the district is proposing a board election is the community going to accept or vote for a decision. Also, key stakeholders can provide essential information that the community sees as important for the district.
· Board of Trustees: The Board of Trustees is crucial to the development of the budget. By law the Superintendent has the role of preparing the budget, but the board establishes the annual goals for the school district. Also, the Board has more access to public opinion and they are an important judge of the acceptance of the budget proposals by the community.
As I discussed and studied the importance of different stakeholders in the development of a budget none of the information surprised me when developing a budget. Just like when you develop any plan a leader must look at all sides and receive information from all stakeholders involved. If a leader does receive input from others in any decision being made you will not have all of the information and do not receive as much buy-in to those decisions. When tough decisions, like where to make cuts in a school district, have to be made it is important to have the input of all parties.
Reflection:
Each stakeholder during the development of the budget brings a different perspective to the table. It is important for the Superintendent to involve and receive input from all stakeholders during the budget development process. If the Superintendent does not have the most updated information about the needs that currently exist in the district may cause a budget to fail and not meet the needs of the district. It is vital to have current information to be able to develop a valid budget.
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