The Governing Board recognizes its critical responsibility for adopting a sound budget for each fiscal year which is aligned with the district's vision, goals, and priorities. The district budget shall guide administrative decisions and actions throughout the year and shall serve as a tool for monitoring the fiscal health of the district.
(cf. 0000 - Vision)
(cf. 3000 - Concepts and Roles)
(cf. 3300 - Expenditures and Purchases)
(cf. 3460 - Financial Reports and Accountability)
(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)
The district budget shall show a complete plan and itemized statement of all proposed expenditures and all estimated revenues for the following fiscal year, together with a comparison of revenues and expenditures for the current fiscal year. The budget shall also include the appropriations limit and the total annual appropriations subject to limitation as determined pursuant to Government Code 7900-7914. (Education Code 42122)
Budget Development and Adoption Process
The Superintendent or designee shall establish an annual budget development process and calendar in accordance with the single budget adoption process described in Education Code 42127(i). He/she shall annually notify the County Superintendent of Schools of the district's decision to use the single budget adoption process in the subsequent year.
In order to provide guidance in the development of the budget, the Board shall annually establish budget priorities based on identified district needs and goals and on realistic projections of available funds.
The Superintendent or designee shall oversee the preparation of a proposed district budget for approval by the Board and shall involve appropriate staff in the development of budget projections.
The Board encourages public input in the budget development process and shall hold public hearings and meetings in accordance with Education Code 42103 and 42127.
(cf. 9320 - Meetings and Notices)
(cf. 9322 - Agenda/Meeting Materials)
(cf. 9323 - Meeting Conduct)
The budget that is formally adopted by the Board shall be in the format prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Superintendent or designee may supplement this format with additional information as necessary to effectively communicate the budget to the Board, staff, and public.
Budget Criteria and Standards
In developing the district budget, the Superintendent or designee shall analyze criteria and standards adopted by the State Board of Education which address estimation of funded average daily attendance (ADA), projected enrollment, ratio of ADA to enrollment, projected revenue limit, salaries and benefits, other revenues and expenditures, facilities maintenance, deficit spending, fund balance, and reserves. The budget review shall also identify supplemental information regarding contingent liabilities, use of one-time revenues for ongoing expenditures, use of ongoing revenues for one-time expenditures, contingent revenues, contributions, long-term commitments, unfunded liabilities, and the status of labor agreements. (Education Code 33127, 33128, 33129; 5 CCR 15440-15451)
The Board shall establish and maintain a general fund reserve for economic uncertainty that meets or exceeds the requirements of law. (Education Code 33128.3; 5 CCR 15450)
The Board may establish other budget assumptions or parameters which may take into consideration the stability of funding sources, legal requirements and constraints on the use of funds, anticipated increases and/or decreases in the cost of services and supplies, categorical program requirements and flexibility, if any, as well as other factors necessary to ensure that the budget is a realistic plan for district revenues and expenditures.
(cf. 2210 - Administrative Discretion Regarding Board Policy)
(cf. 3110 - Transfer of Funds)
Long-Term Financial Obligations
The district's current-year budget and multi-year projections shall contain adequate provisions for addressing the district's long-term financial obligations, including, but not limited to, long-term obligations resulting from collective bargaining agreements, financing of facilities projects, unfunded or future liability for retiree benefits, and accrued workers' compensation claims.
(cf. 4141/4241 - Collective Bargaining Agreement)
(cf. 4143/4243 - Negotiations/Consultation)
(cf. 4154/4254/4354 - Health and Welfare Benefits)
(cf. 7210 - Facilities Financing)
(cf. 9250 - Remuneration, Reimbursement and Other Benefits)
The Board shall approve a plan for meeting the district's long-term obligations to fund nonpension, other postemployment benefits (OPEBs). This plan shall include a specific funding strategy and the method that will be used to finance the district's annual fiscal obligations for such benefits in a manner that continually reduces the deficit to the district to the extent possible. The Board reserves the authority to review and amend the funding strategy as necessary to ensure that it continues to serve the best interests of the district and maintains flexibility to adjust for changing budgetary considerations.
When the Superintendent or designee presents a report to the Board on the estimated accrued but unfunded cost of OPEBs, the Board shall disclose, as a separate agenda item at the same meeting, whether or not it will reserve a sufficient amount of money in its budget to fund the present value of the benefits of existing retirees and/or the future cost of employees who are eligible for benefits in the current fiscal year. (Education Code 42140)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
1240 Duties of county superintendent of schools
33127-33131 Standards and criteria for local budgets and expenditures
35035 Powers and duties of superintendent
35161 Powers and duties, generally, of governing boards
42103 Public hearing on proposed budget; requirements for content of proposed budget
42122-42129 Budget requirements
42130-42134 Financial certifications
42602 Use of unbudgeted funds
42605 Tier 3 categorical flexibility
42610 Appropriation of excess funds and limitation thereon
44518-44519.2 Chief business officer training program
45253 Annual budget of personnel commission
45254 First year budget of personnel commission
GOVERNMENT CODE
7900-7914 Appropriations limit
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
15060 Standardized account code structure
15440-15451 Criteria and standards for school district budgets
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Maximizing School Board Governance: Budget Planning and Adoption, 2006
Maximizing School Board Governance: Understanding District Budgets, 2006
School Finance CD-ROM, 2005
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
California School Accounting Manual
FISCAL CRISIS AND MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM PUBLICATIONS
Fiscal Oversight Guide for AB 1200, AB 2756 and Subsequent Related Legislation, September 2006
GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD
Statement 45, Accounting and Financial Reporting by Employers for Post-employment Benefits Other Than Pensions, June 2004
Statement 34, Basic Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis - For State and Local Governments, June 1999
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Association of California School Administrators: http://www.acsa.org
California Department of Education, Finance and Grants: http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg
California Department of Finance: http://www.dof.ca.gov
Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team: http://www.fcmat.org
Governmental Accounting Standards Board: http://www.gasb.org
School Services of California, Inc.: http://www.sscal.com
Policy SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: November 18, 2010 South San Francisco, California