The School Finances
November 17, 2004
Bridgewater
Raynham
Easton
East Bridgewater
West Bridgewater
Massachusetts
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Bridgewater-Raynham Schools
Massachusetts
USA
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Joseph Gillis Jr.
You can do something!
It does not seem to matter how often I ask about financial reports, or request that the B-R School Committee approve monthly financial reports and budget transfers, there is continued resistance. Therefore, I have begun looking to other School Districts in the Commonwealth to determine how they address financial issues. So, in what will probably be the first of many citations....
Southborough MA. They have a policy document describing "Cost Center Transfer Authority".
The Administration provides the school committee with financial reports at each meeting: the current financial report format provides basic budgetary information about each of the different costs centers. Currently the report provides the following information for each cost center: (a) the year to date (YTD) expenditures, (b) current year original budget allocation, (c) the current year full budget allocation, (d) the budget as originally proposed, (e) the dollar increase year-over-year, and (f) the percent increase year-to-year. This informaiton is typical of that provided to other school districts throughout the Commonwealth and fundamental to oversee the implementation of the school budget throughout the year.
What is the rationale, philosophy or purpose?
The school committee is responsible to the review and approval of the yearly school budget and for school policy. By law, the transfer of funds between cost centers is at the sole discretion of the school committee. One rationale for the legislature's assignation of this authority is that cost center transfers can represent an execution of policy. For instance, funding a science program with monies originally budgeted for a foreign language teacher can be interpreted as a change in policy. The purpose to the policy is to allow school committee members to comply with their responsibilities to the town by providing them with the information necessary to oversee the approved budget throughout the year.
Applicable legislation.
(The policy document refers to many passages within Mass Genereal Laws, as well as to three legal decisions. I will be happy to provide those details to anyone who wishes that backup.)
Arlington MA. They have a website full of great policy information >> click here for the site.
In the section for "Budget Transfer Authority".
The Superintendent shall transmit budget transfers to the School Committee for approval as needed.
Budget transfers submitted for School Committee approval shall be accompanied by supporting documentation presenting changes to the detail of the original budget as adopted by the School Committee.
In the section for "Fiscal Accounting and Reporting".
The Superintendent annually shall make a financial report to the School Committee as of the following dates: September 30, December 31, March 31, April 30, May 31, June 30.
The report shall include a presentation on income, expenditure, encumbrances and unexpended balances for the genreal fund budget and all special revenue fund budgets, i.e. grants. To the extent practicable, all reports shall be distributed as the first school committee meeting following the dates shown above.
From the above two examples, it is clear that B-R is not doing a good job with Financial Controls. I do not think I have met one School Committee member from another system that does not have a policy similar to one of the two above-mentioned policies. They all confirm to me that they regularly review finances, and approve the finances.
When will Bridgewater-Raynham adopt financial practices that return control for finance back to the School Committee?
