Write a paper on How allocations are used for your project:

Introduction

The budget you will create for the PBLA is a very simplified version of the budget you will create and manage as an administrator. You want to keep in mind that budget planning and accompanying forms will vary depending on your place of employment.

Obviously, you want to follow the Finance Dept.s and Title I Dept.s guidelines when that time comes. The line items for which schools budget will differ as well. As one example, a school in one district may have to budget for postage; however, in another district, the Central Office pays postage for all schools. For a second example, a school in one district may have to pay for grounds maintenance and contract with a company; yet in another district, the Central Office Maintenance Dept. may take care of mowing, etc.

For this project, you will not be dealing with the following components that may exist in actual school budgets:
Limited English funds
Disadvantaged Students funds
Special Education funds
Low Wealth funds
Small District funds
Title II
Grants
Budgeting for each grade level within a school
Athletic proceeds
Coaching and sports allocations
Arts funds
Vocational funds
Clubs
Field trips
Textbooks

Scenario

As a first year Principal, you have met with the School Improvement Team (SIT)/School Leadership Team (SLT) where you shared the school districts timeline for proposed budgets and the local and Title I funding amounts. The SIT/SLT and you easily came to agreement on the starred line item amounts on the budget form, since as a rule, they are based on the previous years receipts.

You led a discussion and brainstormed with the SIT/SLT what its thoughts were on allocating money to the various line items, reminding SIT/SLT members that final recommendations would be based on past test data, the school districts strategic plan, walk throughs, and the School Improvement Plan. It was important for you to gauge the SITs/SLTs way of thinking; you heard strong opinions about less professional development and more funds directed toward instructional supplies, because staff members are still spending lots of money out of their own pockets.

The SIT/SLT feels that professional development can be led by staff members, but it also wants to focus on teambuilding due to the large number of new staff members. The SIT/SLT also requested a short survey of certified and non-certified staff members for their input on the budget. The meeting ended with these assignments: The SIT/SLT will utilize survey data and the previously mentioned data points to create its proposed budget, and you will draft a proposal with other administrators. This is when you will draft a budget, using the provided documents (budget form; details form) that will eventually be shared with the SIT/SLT for comparison and fleshing out a final consensus-reached proposed budget.

You know which way the SIT/SLT is leaning, but your budget must be based on data. Test data reveal there have been four consecutive years of math scores below the state average with adequate growth each year; language arts scores are above the state average with little growth; and science scores had a drop below the state average last year with other years equal to the state average and no growth.

Guidelines

First, you have the choice of creating a budget for elementary, middle, or high school. Next, study the facts below before starting the budget. Lastly, some line items require an explanation, such as professional development topics where you will indicate training titles for the year. A reason or reasons should be given when using data for the recommendations.

Local Funding
local funding from the county that has been allocated to ABC School by the Finance Dept.;
cannot be transferred to Title I categories but can be used along with Title I funds for a schools focus area(s);
can be combined with box tops, ice cream, pictures, yearbook, book fair, school-wide fundraiser(s), McDonalds night; and/or
transfers can occur between line items with this funding source (i.e., moving money from instructional supplies to assemblies)

Write a paper on How allocations are used for your project:
purchase instructional supplies;
purchase library books and other forms of media;
technology (hardware & software);
copier expenses;
placed into general funds, when you do not have specific line items;
maintenance/repairs;
office expenses;
postage;
printing;
student incentives;
staff incentives;
professional development; and/or
assemblies

Title I Funding
federal funds that are used to supplement a schools funding;
based on free and reduced lunch numbers;
allocation comes from the Title I Dept. after funds have been funneled from the federal to state to local levels;
cannot be transferred to local funding categories but can be used to supplement local funding for a schools focus area(s) [ex.: pay part of a workshop presenters fee with the remai

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