Building a Small Group Budget

Jama Dollar

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD-510-0501: Education Finance

Cherri Barker

April 27, 2022

 Building a Small Group Budget

Current Budget Revenue and Expenditures

The Leadership Candidate reviewed the Title I budget for an elementary school located in

central Florida. The school has approximately 650 students enrolled during the current school

year. The schools current Title I budget is $271,093. Within the Title I budget, the school

allocated four intervention teachers’ salaries, digital technology platforms, a science night,

tutoring, and school uniforms. These expenditures related to deficit areas related to statewide

assessments.

Proposed Revenue and Expenditures

The Leadership Candidate would propose to continue with two of the four allocated

intervention teachers. The candidate’s budget allocated two intervention teachers and two

Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM) teachers. The candidate’s suggested budget

change included increasing the funding of supplies. In addition, the candidate would recommend

discontinuing budget for school uniforms. The Leadership Candidate did not propose any

changes to the current budget in the areas of licensing expenditures for digital learning platforms,

science night and tutoring.

Rational for Line Item Increases or Decreases

When examining the current budget, the candidate noted allotted salaries for intervention

teachers was at a beginning bachelor level teacher salary. On the proposed budget, the candidate

allotted funding for intervention teachers that had experience and reading endorsements. The

candidate would prefer to have intervention teachers with knowledge and expertise to understand

how to effectively target students’ reading deficits and have the necessary skillset to scaffold and

build students’ skills. The candidate proposed replacing two of the intervention teaching
positions with STEM teachers. The STEM teachers would help support team with developing

and implementing school-wide weekly STEM activities. The candidate is proposing this change

to bring highly motivational hands-on activities to encourage and cultivate students’ creativity

and critical thinking skills. The goal of incorporating weekly STEM activities is to encourage

cooperative learning and social skill development. The candidate hypothesizes that

incorporating STEM activities will improve overall student attendance. The increase in the

budget to buy supplies would include the items required for STEM hands-on learning projects.

The candidate is proposing discontinuing the fund to buy school uniforms because our district

discontinued the school uniform policy this school year. The candidate would continue to work

with area church and community groups to support clothing and school supply fundraising

donation efforts.

Strategies for How to Adjust if Revenue Sources Do Not Meet Expectations

The Leadership Candidate has allotted that some of the STEM project supply funding be

supported by grants and donations. The candidate understands that while grants and fundraising

efforts are a good source of revenue, these are not guaranteed funds. The candidate would plan

to allot that the $5,000 supply budget be released in increments based on available funding. In

addition, the candidate would earmark the $15,000 for planning and professional development to

be dispersed quarterly. This will allow for some flexibility in case the revenue sources do not

meet expectations.

Title I Funds Support the School’s Mission and Vision

The Title I supports the school’s mission statement of “To ensure higher levels of

learning for all students” by providing funds necessary to support students from lower
socioeconomic backgrounds. Title I provides funding to support additional instructional staff,

professional development and collaborative planning opportunities, tutoring, digital learning

programs, family engagement activities and supplies. These funds support the school vision that

targets improving students’ achievement.

Justification of How Requested Expenditures Support School’s Priorities and Continuous

Improvement

The Title I budget directly correlates to the school’s needs assessment in the School

Improvement Plan. Students’ achievement scores on statewide assessments were compared to

state and district performance averages. The students’ test scores reflected achievement deficits

in reading, math and science that was below both state and district averages. In addition,

students’ learning gains were also below state and district averages. Title I funds are earmarked

to provide remediation strategies in reading, math, and science.

Strategies to Rely Less on School Funding

The Leadership Candidate would explore grant opportunities as revenue sources for

STEM development and instruction. As part of the STEM teacher’s job role, would be ask to

assist with working with the district to find grant opportunities. A committee will be

developed to support grant writing efforts. The candidate would also reach out to business

partners and community leaders to solicit resources and volunteers. To accomplish this, the

candidate would plan regularly scheduled evening meetings that would include school-based

stakeholders as well as parents, community members such as city counsel members,

representatives from manufacturing and business owners. During these meetings the school

would share current and upcoming STEM activities. Business owners could share their needs
and expectations of qualities needed in employees. Some STEM building projects such as

gardens or greenhouses may be funded at least in part community partners. The candidate

would strive to encourage creative ways to engage students, families, staff, representatives

from the community to foster a sense of connection with all stakeholders.

 Reference:

Sorenson, R. & Goldsmith, L. (2018).  The Principals Guide to School Budgeting. Edition 3.

Corwin A Sage Publishing Company. 

https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/9781506389462/epub/OEBPS/s9781506389493.i5

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