School Finance and Fiscal Management

Catalog description

This course will examine the principles and court decisions involved in shaping the legal framework of school finance. Students will examine the historical spending patterns of a school district budget and develop new budget proposals using "generally accepted accounting procedures" and the appropriate state budgeting codes. Students will study school budgeting procedures as a tool for program and school improvement. The class will examine the financial implications associated with site-based management models and whole school reform. Legislation pertaining to the financing of short and long term debt will be examined. Students will use technology to gather data; identify non-tax based resources; create presentations for specific audiences; and, work with models of data driven indicators to examine issues of equity, efficiencies and resource deployment. Students will demonstrate course understandings through actual classroom and school applications that are referenced to state adopted core curriculum content standards, professional development standards and national school leadership standards.