5342 Course Reflection School Finance

Reflections from Course 5342, School Finance

This course has been the most Challenging of the three courses taken in this Superintendent School Leadership Internship.  This could not come at a better time for me.  I looked forward to this course because it’s the area that is not my strength.  With the challenge, lack of financial support facing school superintendents today, learning about major issues that impact the state funding is critical.

Week 1 focused on the historical aspects of school finance which gave a great perspective on pass court decisions, legislative actions, and Texas Education Agency rules, all of which connect our history to current finance issues. It was clear that operating school districts with fewer resources than needed was not a new concept in our state history.

Week 2 focused on students getting more familiar with district’s budget process and decision making.  It was here that we concentrated on Goal Driven Budgets.  The key here was that all stakeholders shared a common vision and that vision should reflect the goals of the Board of Trustees.

Week 3 focused on sources of Revenue for School District Budgets.  It was important that we understood the concepts of how a school district generates revenue and how to determine expenditures and understand the ethical procedures for receiving and expending funds. 

During week 4 we got the opportunity to explore major issues impacting expenditures and what superintendents needed to know about FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas).  The Texas Education Agency has two accountability systems, AEIS and FIRST.  A great lesson learned here was that superintendents need to be concerned about district ratings by both AEIS and the FIRST system. 

Week 5 focused on the importance of educators adhering to the Texas Administrative Code and the Educators’ Code of Ethics.  School administrators are the leaders of their communities and a higher standard of conduct is expected of them.  Not living up to those standards pose a major ethical issue.

In looking at all five weeks, the lectures, interviews, readings, and the resources made it all connect.  I think this was a great layout for the course.  The use of our wiki groups and blogs gave us the opportunity to, collaborate with classmates, share ideas and opinions, and learn about their districts.  The interviews were right on target as I interviewed our Business manager.  It was hands on practical learning that was so relevant.

While reflecting upon the growth of my knowledge since beginning this course, I marked all of the Administrative competencies above as a “C”, except one, indicating that I feel competent enough to oversee each of the standards as they occur in my district.  I do not feel I could lead my district without experience people around me.  I think much of the superintendent’s role requires this leader to have an understanding of each of the School Administrative Competencies to survive in the position; however, in most medium and large districts, there are school district officials who will serve as experts to carry out the detailed functions of all the business-related functions.  I will continue to work towards gaining experience in these areas to ensure that I am successful on the Texas Superintendent’s certification exam as well as utilize my understanding for the benefit of my current position.