Group+4+Collaboration+for+Historical+Events

Group 4 Top 5 Budget Development Plan

The school district must know or have an approximation as to what they will be working with for the next coming school year. With the funding formulas put in place for ADA, WADA, grant money and other revenue produced by the district, the budget constraints begin to take shape and district leaders begin to have a clearer picture of money at the districts disposal.
 * Estimate district revenue from state and federal aid, property tax revenue, and other funding sources – January**

The different campus leaders will begin to put a plan in place to maximize instruction on their campus. Principals will want to have a Campus Improvement Plan developed by the CIC, to see where expenditures need to be spent for instruction. Staffing will always be a concern since it is the largest expenditure to the district.
 * Begin the development of campus budget needs through the development of Campus Improvement Plans, which will reflect the goals of the board of trustees. Also, input from different stakeholders within the district will be sought. - March**

When principals turn in their projected budgets along with members of the central administration then the district’s budget begins to take shape. At this time the Superintendent must start taking a larger leadership role in order to make sure that the district is spending money on things that count. He must insure that instruction is the top goal and that the goals of the school board are being met in all areas. He must look at professional development for teachers and administrators, along with projected costs of transportation, extracurricular and possible building maintenance.
 * Preliminary budgets are developed and reviewed by the Superintendent and members of the budget development team. - April**

School districts want to be transparent when it comes to the budget and the spending of taxpayers’ money. By state law the public must have an opportunity to review the proposed budget and must be allowed to have a say in the public hearing about the budget.
 * A public notice for the adoption of a new school budget goes out in a local newspaper. The district will also place the new budget on the district website if there is a website for the district. - June**

By state law the new budget must be completed by August 20th, and must be brought to the school board and adopted by August 31st. If a district uses a July 1 start date for their budget these dates must happen in June.
 * New budget is completed and brought before the school board for adoption. – August**

One of the historical events that I think is important has to do with the court decisions centering on the Edgewood case. The interpretation of the court decisions from Edgewood, Rodriguez and West Orange Cove has greatly impacted how Texas funds education with respect to equity, adequate and equality.

The Gilmer-Aikin laws in 1949 did a lot for public education. First it provided for the creation of the Foundation School Program  which allowed for state funds to be apportioned to school districts throughout the state. The laws also allowed for the creation of a State Board of Education in Texas. This Board of Education appointed a Commissioner of Education, and completely reorganized the state’s public school system through the Texas Education Agency.


 * I felt that one of the first major impacts actually occurred prior to the organization of the state of Texas. I believe it is of significance because it effected the same population of people, regardless of temporary nationality. It occurred when Mexico officially (if in writing only) recognized a need for education in the territory and initially set forth measures to create a school system. Prior to the recognition of this need, the area sat stagnant and largely uneducated. Due to the fact that the mandate was never acted upon, Texans were able to use the measure as ammunition in their efforts to legitimize secession. **