Clinical Field Experience E

Leadership and Management Functions in Practice

March 31, 2021

EAD 536

Rolanda Brown

A good administrator has to make important decisions about the resources that are

available for use. Often, they have to weight these decisions carefully to make sure they are the

right ones for the school and that they are following the rules in regard to disseminating the

resources appropriately. After speaking to my mentor and a member of the Instructional team

who is responsible for budget submissions, I have a better understanding of all that goes into this

process.

Our school uses what is called a School Based Budget. This means that each school

principal is responsible for allocating funds for that school for the year. Around this time of

year, my principal is given a dollar amount that she must then budget carefully to make sure that

teachers and staff are paid, positions are allocated correctly, and resources are available for the

following year. After allocating funds for staffing, she has a certain amount that she has to put in

discretionary funds for the following year. Each decision she makes on resources is made by

looking carefully at our school’s mission, vision, and plans for improvement. After she drafts

her budget for the year, she must justify it to her instructional director, who then either approves

it, or make suggestions for revision. Finally, the budget is submitted to the county for final

approval.
 Throughout the year, the principal will often have decisions that need to be made using

discretionary funds or other parts of budgeted money. When she does this, she looks for where

there is a need in the building. Often, this need is balanced against the school’s mission and

vision and needs for school improvement. However, sometimes she may just feel there’s a need

that should be met. For example, our school has three temporary buildings. All of the

classrooms in the building have smart boards, but the temporary buildings do not. These

buildings house the art room and 2 music rooms. Because of this, the need for smartboards is

weighed against the expense of them. Because they are fine arts rooms, they often don’t get

priority. However, if funds are available, my mentor can request to use them for such expenses.

However, she does not get to make the final decision. They must be approved by the county and

by her instructional director. In addition to this, they have a bid list that has to be used, with

prices specifically listed for the county’s schools. When making any purchases, she has to

follow the proper channels and document everything with the help of her secretary. This keeps

her purchasing transparent, so if the school is audited, all of the purchases are accounted for and

recorded legally.

Often, the school’s needs cannot be met through this process. Either funds are too short,

or the county will not approve needed purchases. In these cases, the school must seek resources

from other areas. One of our biggest supporters is our PTO. When we are in need, the school

can go to the PTO and ask for funds. This is often done by the principal or teachers who request

specific needs for their classrooms. When the building purchased smartboards for all of the

indoor classrooms, this was done with help from our PTO. My principal mentor also seeks out

needed resources through other community partners. Last year, when we got our new math

curriculum, the school needed many manipulatives that were not provided with the curriculum.
We did not have the money to purchase them. However, a local church who partners with the

school happily helped purchase manipulatives for the teachers to use in their classrooms.

Finally, by networking and keeping an ear out to the community, my mentor hears of

opportunities that are available to the school. She does this by subscribing to county newsletters

and list serves that reach our community. This way, she can get resources for the school when

they become available.

This field experience supports PSEL standards 2 and 8. PSEL standard 2 focuses on

Ethics and professional norms. When principals make budgetary decisions about providing

resources for the school, they must be very careful to act ethically, making responsible and

transparent decisions that are honest and will establish trust in the community they serve. By

making sure these decisions are integrated with the school’s mission and vision and plans for

improvement, principals are ensuring that student success remains the focus. PSEL standard 8

speaks about engaging the families and community in a meaningful way. When school leaders

seek the support of the community to help meet school needs, they are strengthening the

partnership that we have with that community, creating a trusting relationship. This symbiotic

partnership not only helps the school, but helps build a strong community. This standard also

focuses on the principal advocating for the school and district. When seeking out support from

outside sources, the principal is fulfilling this standard. (NBPEA, 2015).

When I am a principal, I will use this experience to remind me to make ethical decisions

that are transparent and focused on student growth. I will strive to follow legal pathways to

providing for my community, and not be afraid to seek outside help when needed. Doing so will

help me make sure that student needs are being met, so that my school can be an environment

that has high expectations for the success of each student.

 Reference

National Policy Board for Educational Administration (2015). Professional Standards for

Educational Leaders 2015. Reston, VA: Author.