An Interview with the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations

On August 31, 2011, I interviewed our Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations. This individaul is the direct supervisor of the Executive Director of Finance. He began the description of the administrative staff responsibilities in preparing the budget with an explanation of district policy.  District policy states that it is the responsibility of the superintendent to prepare and submit to the Board a proposed budget and to administer the budget. The assistant superintendent briefly described the basic steps used in budget development in Belton ISD which begins in January when campus principals and department heads meet with district level leaders to discuss developing needs and the analogous goals developed to address those needs as well as requests for funds for personnel or materials to meet the goals. The administrative team that meets with each campus and department head begins each meeting by reviewing the district goals and the mission and vision of the district to ensure a commitment to those common goals. The Human Resources department holds meetings to review staffing guidelines based on projected enrollment while the district leadership team looks for ways to balance the requests made from campuses with published staffing guidelines. At the same time, requests for capital outlay projects for each campus in support of identified district and campus goals are considered along with programmed replacement cycles for technology equipment. All of these meetings are led by the superintendent who asks the tough questions and provides guidance and alternate ideas. In our district, the leadership team made up of the Superintendent, deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and the assistant superintendent for finance and operations are all involved in the process as a team. Their individual experience and expertise is valued and listened to. But it is the superintendent that is ultimately responsible for preparing the budget so she takes responsibility for the final decision.

     I was not surprised that the superintendent is involved so heavily in the process of budget development. The budget is the item that can produce positive or negative public sentiment at the drop of a hat (or at the rise of a tax!) If managed improperly the budget can sink the superintendent. It is the item that takes the most amount of paper in the board packets prepared for each monthly meeting and it is the fuel that keeps district operations flowing. All of our great instructional ideas are in jeopardy if the budget is not planned properly or aligned with our instructional goals. In Belton ISD, we have been fiscally responsible in our expenditures, in our debt service, in our bond issues, and with our investments. At a time when other districts have had to lay-off personnel, Belton ISD has made no lay-offs and was actually able to provide a 1% pay raise this year. All of this reflects well on our superintendent. Although she would be quick to give any due credit to her core team, she is the boss and is held personally responsible for budgetary decisions.