Budget Development Process FAQs
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Q: How many times will my team meet to discuss the FY18 budget?
A: Most GO Teams will meet twice to discuss the FY18 budget. Teams have scheduled a Budget Feedback Meeting during the week of January 17th-January 23rd for the principal to provide an overview of the draft budget to the GO Team and the general public. This meeting provides an opportunity for GO Teams to gain a deeper understanding of the budget process and to provide feedback on the draft budget.
Teams are also scheduling Budget Approval Meetings during the week of January 30th-February 3rd to review the FY18 budget, which may have been updated based on feedback from the GO Team and/or the school’s Associate Superintendent. At the Budget Approval Meeting, principals will present their final budget recommendations for GO Team approval. If the recommendations are not approved, the school’s budget will default to FY17 allocations.
Q: Can a GO Team alter the Budget Development timeline?
A: No, GO Teams cannot alter the Budget Development timeline. Principals will need approved budgets to be prepared for staffing conferences starting on February 6th. To support this timeline, the final Budget Approval Meeting must be scheduled no later than the week of January 30th-February 3rd. After February 3rd, if a school’s GO Team has not approved the principal’s budget recommendations, the school’s budget will default to FY17 allocations.
Q: My GO Team approved our Strategic Plan in the fall. What are our next steps in the budget process?
A: If your GO Team has approved your Strategic Plan, then your team will need to schedule a Budget Feedback Meeting any time from January 17th-January 23rd to discuss the principal’s proposed FY 18 budget.
Q: My GO Team did not approve our Strategic Plan in the fall. How should we proceed in the budget development process?
A: Voting on the Strategic Plan must be included as an action item prior to approving the FY ’18 budget. The approved Strategic Plan drives the annual budget process, so teams should prioritize finalizing strategic plans BEFORE they attempt to take action on the FY18 budget. Your school principal and GO Team Officers have been provided sample meeting agendas to serve as examples of how meetings can be structured to allow time for taking action on the Strategic Plan and discussing the school budget.
Q: What is the GO Team’s role in the Budget Development Process?
A: The GO Team will review the principal’s draft budget to ensure that the budget is aligned to the school’s mission and vision and that resources are allocated to support key strategic priorities. As a part of its role in school governance, the GO Team may provide input/feedback to the principal on the draft budget and ask questions to get a better understanding of the principal’s rationale for allocating resources in one way or another.
Q: How much control does the GO Team have over the budget?
A: As a part of its role in school governance, the GO Team should be focused on the big picture when it comes to the school budget. This means reviewing the budget and getting an understanding of how resources are allocated to ensure that the school is headed towards achieving the priorities that have been outline in the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. The school principal, who is responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of the school, has sole discretion for designing and developing the budget.
Q: How will my GO Team be able to fund our school-based solution, if we are approving budgets now?
A: If your GO Team is considering developing a School-Based Solution that would be implemented in the 2017-2018 school year to address specific Strategic Priorities, principals will need to set aside funds during this budget cycle to cover the cost of the proposed innovation.
Q: Should the principal fund all of the strategic priorities this year?
A: The Strategic Plan is a 3-year plan, whereas the FY18 budget covers a 1-year time period, therefore, the principal may not be able to fund all strategic priorities in the FY 18 budget. If you have questions about a strategic priority that has not been funded in the FY18 budget, feel free to ask your principal about during your school’s GO Team Budget Feedback Meeting.