Budget Defense
Daniel Ramos • EAD 510
Budget Overview
● Data is then collected and
● Comprehensive Needs
quantified
Assessment (CNA)
● Previous budget analysis based
○ Vital input gathered
on data received including
from:
■ Certified and deficits and extra funds
● School Integrated Action
Classified Staff
Committee (SIAC) meets to
■ Parents and students
discuss action steps to be
■ District Employees
taken aligned to the data
■ Community
points received.
Members
Budget Timeframe
● The school budget is a living document that is being tracked and
reviewed monthly
● Data collection from stakeholders takes approximately 2-3 months.
● Once the data collection phase is complete, there is a two week
window to develop the budget.
● Budget is then submitted to superintendency for review (estimated
1 week)
● Another week is then allocated for changes or rationale of allocated
funding.
● The budget is submitted for final approval.
Changes to be made
● Decline in enrollment due to current pandemic.
● Due the failure of a school district budget override initiative, the site budget faces
cutbacks on staffing and 10% of overall expenditures.
Personnel Expense Justification
● Personnel are vital for our students to be able to learn.
● Staffing has already been adjusted due to 1 teacher resignation, and one
retiree.
● “smaller class sizes had a positive impact on test scores and measures of
student engagement” (Salgado 2018).
● Due to the current pandemic, student learning and recoupment is crucial
for fundamental skills to be taught and solidified as they progress.
● Robson Elementary is a TSI school that is under audit for special education.
Technology Expense Justification
● Heavy Technology focus due to COVID-19
● Additional equipment and maintenance
○ Robson is now a 1-1 computer school
● Programs and software needed to support virtual learning
● Learning is innovating, our classrooms should reflect that
Where are budget cuts being
made?
Budget Cuts
● 67% of surveyed stakeholders want a 4/5 combination classroom to avoid
losing a contract
● Use of current digital curriculum
● Postponement of third party consultation until next fiscal year
● Utilities placed on power saving mode (reduction of AC after hours)
● Reduction of office supplies due to paperless system
● Reduction of the amount of support staff at recess and lunch times.
● Revamp Instructional assistant schedules to reduce times and create a block
schedule system to cover gaps.
Sights on School Improvement
● SIAC will continue to develop action steps to be taken to
provide funding for programs that affect overall student
achievement
● Special Education budget will remain untouched to provide
consistency
● PBIS and other intervention programs across the school
campus will continue to be implemented with fidelity
Monitoring
● Frequent Progress monitoring to ensure student growth and
achievement
● Frequent faucets of feedback or surveys will be taken during the
school year to collect data from stakeholders
● Budget reconciliation meeting each month
○ If extra funding is reallocated, then the budget will be adjusted
to continue to meet student needs
Community Resources and Political Initiatives
● Actively seeking monetary and personal protective equipment
● Push for school volunteers to come and assist with IA responsibilities and recess
duty (if current with COVID-19 Vaccination)
● Light our School initiative to curve the utility cost of operations on campus and
allow funding to be used to bring back IA times and office supplies
● Actively seek donations from supermarkets and office supply stores for class and
office supplies due to the lack of sells during a pandemic.
● Paperless Operations Initiative
● Virtual classes continue to be offered during upcoming school year.
Advocating for Student Needs
● Continuation of smaller class sizes and targeted specialized
instruction
● Budget cuts extras not necessities
○ Once funding is secured, the budget will be adjusted
and more things will be added.
● Special Education services will continue as normal.
PSEL Standards
● Standard 9: Operations and Management
○ Subsection B: “Strategically manage staff resources, assigning and
scheduling teachers and staff to roles and responsibilities that
optimize their professional capacity to address each student’s
learning needs.”
○ Subsection D: “Are responsible, ethical, and accountable stewards of
the school’s monetary and nonmonetary resources, engaging in
effective budgeting and accounting practices.”
References
Mesa Public Schools Policy Manual. (2020)
https://go.boarddocs.com/az/mpsaz/Board.nsf/Public?open.
National Policy Board for Educational Administration (2015). Professional
Standards for Educational Leaders 2015. Reston, VA: Author.
Salgado, R., Mundy, M-A., Kupczynski, L., & Challoo, L. (2018). Effects of
Teacher Efficacy, Certification Route, Content Hours, Experiences and class
Size on Student Achievement. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies, 21.
