I have grinded (ground?) several years as an assistant at a few places. Now I'm in a situation where I'm likely going to get my first run at being in charge of a program that includes grades 6-12 at multiple campuses - hooray! Here's the thing - I am embarrassingly lacking in knowledge regarding budgets and money usage. As an assistant, I wasn't given many chances to be a part of that process. Is there a "school money usage for dummies" type resource? I know every school is different in how they operate, but I'd like some kind of idea of what to expect so I can pretend I know what I'm doing
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by Fellow dummy on 4/4/2024, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Mo-nay"
Here are the things I wish someone had told me before I started dealing with school money.
The bigger the district, the more bureaucracy. When I worked in a country 1A, I could stop by the admin office in the morning, sweet-talk the super's secretary, and by end of day she would have a check (hand-written from the checkbook in her desk drawer) signed and ready. In my current district it takes at least a week to get a purchase order, they only write checks on Thursdays, and only if it's approved by Tuesday.
Definitely check with your people in your new district for the details, but these are the broad strokes of what you have to do.
1 - vendor must be on the vendor list. Find out NOW what that process is. In some places you can only add to the list certain times of year. In some districts this is very cumbersome. Some places it's a one-page application that can be approved in a day or two. 2 - contact the vendor and ask for a "quote" or "estimate" for the things you want to buy. This is an official document offering to sell you certain goods or services at a certain price. In some districts you can go on the website, put everything in your shopping cart and print that off as a "quote." 3 - submit your quote to whoever writes your POs. Usually campus secretary but maybe someone in central office. 4 - Purchase order is written and approved. Send the PO to the vendor. This is an official document where the district agrees to buy the goods or services for the specific price. For most vendors who work with schools, this is enough for them to ship the product. Some will want pre-payment. 5 - Vendor delivers the product/service. 6 - Vendor sends you an invoice. This is an official request for payment. 7 - Submit the invoice to whoever processes those. Usually the same person who writes your POs. You may have to sign the invoice or do an online check-off to acknowledge that you received the items on the invoice. 8 - Check is submitted to your accounts payable, probably needs some approvals, but then check is printed.
This process can take a long time. Your PO person is probably overworked. There are probably 3 people above them who have to approve the PO and then the check. Especially the first few times you do this, someone will probably reject it and make you do it differently. I usually try to get my PO request in at least 2 weeks ahead of time, farther if possible.
You will likely have at least 2 different accounts. Maybe more. Some will have sub-accounts. Each will have different rules.
199 aka school budget - you will get a certain amount of money in this account at the start of the school year. It may be broken out into separate categories (travel, supplies, repairs, etc) or maybe it's all just one big sum. Anything you don't spend by the budget deadline (usually around spring break) they will take back. Find out when the cutoff is and spend all of this money before then. I try to spend it all in the fall semester. Many districts this year cut off spending on very short notice when the legislature did not pass any school funding increase.
461 aka activity fund - this is more like a bank account. Your fundraiser money goes in here and then you can spend it. This account does roll over, you can do a fundraiser in the spring to have money for summer activities. Usually you can spend out of this account for most of the year.
You may also have a booster account. In some places that account goes through the school. Sometimes it's completely separate. Booster money has fewer restrictions and is easier to spend, but requires your booster board to approve things.
Don't assume you can be reimbursed for buying things out of pocket. I can get a reimbursement in an urgent situation (like something broke on Friday night and we need it for Saturday contest) but otherwise it has to go through the whole process.
The other advice on this page is good. Definitely ask as many questions as you can. And expect that you'll run into some situation that you didn't think of and have to expedite or re-do some paperwork.
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by DesertJazz on 4/6/2024, 5:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Mo-nay"
This is a pretty good primer on a lot of the ins/outs. With that 199 account code there will also usually be some sub account numbers to be aware of that denote 'function.' 36, and 17 I think are the two big ones off the top of my head. You can usually shift money within a function with a simple bit of paperwork within your business office. Moving across functions requires more of a process (usually board approval I believe).
Personally I have quite a few accounts/functions to track. Make sure you get a solid list of what you have access to. I had a colorguard line item that got missed at first.
Make sure you also ask if there are any post-district accounts you can access past region level events. Area Marching Contest/State Marching Contest, Area Auditions/All-State, TSSEC, all are levels I can draw from a Post-District Non-Athletic account that is very handy to have! (Not every district does this)
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by Beagle on 4/5/2024, 7:32 am, in reply to "Re: Mo-nay"
Many districts may also have an 865 "Student Club" fund. If your activity fund is classed as an 865 instead of a 461, you need to see about getting that switched. By law, if I recall correctly, use of an 865 account must be approved by representatives (usually elected) of the student group for which it is designated.
Yup. That means the kids get to choose where and how you spend that money, legally. If you take band fees and/or fundraise, then drop the money into the 865 account, and the students choose to vote to have a pizza party, that's where the money's going if anywhere at all.
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by Warhawk on 4/4/2024, 2:11 pm, in reply to "Mo-nay"
Always through the school secretary, custodial staff, and maintenance folks some band swag. A free t-shirt here and there can/will save your butt.
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by Suggestion on 4/4/2024, 7:26 am, in reply to "Mo-nay"
Talk to your current HBD and the campus financial clerk (or principal secretary) and ask for an hour of their time to see how they do things. Ask questions.
Call another HBD and ask about it.
This isn't something to go into blind. Mistakes here are what get people fired for cause - or what hurts kids because you don't have the supplies/music/equipment/etc you need.
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by retireder on 4/4/2024, 3:55 am, in reply to "Mo-nay"
Don't pretend. You don't know what you are doing, and messing up will get you fired.
One of the first things I did on going to a new school (after finding and meeting the head custodian) was sitting down with the campus business manager and having them walk me through the budget/PO/requisition process, including things like how long it takes to get something through, bids, 'spend it all or lose it' dates, etc. If you don't understand something, have them explain it again.
Don't mess with the kids, don't mess with the money.
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by Beecher on 4/4/2024, 12:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Mo-nay"
If you are given access to the digital PO system, ask how they like things to be paid. My super did not want to see multiple budget codes on a PO because it made it messy for the auditor.
Also - make sure to ask what day checks are cut.
Re: Mo-nay
Posted by Another suggestion... on 4/4/2024, 9:05 am, in reply to "Re: Mo-nay"
You are so right about getting to know the head custodian (and hopefully winning him/her on your side).
Also, get to know the main secretary (usually the head principal's secretary). Try to win her/him on your side. The old saying is true: "They are the ones who really know what's going on". In smaller (or more rural) situations, they may be the one to go through for paperwork/budget submissions before proceeding to the central office level.
It's so true that money matters have to be handled correctly. Quite a few very competent directors were "released" due to $$$ issues.