This nationally recognized school finance expert has teamed up with a CHOICE award winning author to write a comprehensive book on managing school financial resources to increase student performance. Everything you need to know on school finance are covered: budgeting, planning, school based budgeting, school business management, sources of revenue, facilities, human resources, auxiliary services.

A must-read for anyone involved in school business management, this comprehensive textbook addresses a broad range of topics—from the basics of accounting principles to strategic planning, legal liability, taxation, purchasing, budgeting, and management information systems. Chapters focus on such key issues as total quality management, site-based management, and the future of school business management. Each chapter is designed to serve as a stand-alone teaching unit or as a reference to an area of particular interest.

This fourth edition of a guide for independent school business managers has been produced in looseleaf format so that changes may be made promptly as decisions of regulatory bodies require modifications in current practice. Fourteen chapters are organized under three broad topic headings. Chapters in part 1, Accounting and Financial Reporting, concern the following subtopics: (1) basic accounting principles; (2) accounting for plant funds; (3) accounting for endowment funds; (4) accounting for operating funds; (5) the chart of accounts; and (6) financial statements. Part 2, Financial Management, contains chapters on: (7) dealing with the independent certified public accountant; (8) budgeting concepts and procedures; (9) cash management; (10) internal controls; (11) endowment management; and (12) financial planning. Part 3, Administrative Issues, contains chapters 13 and 14, which deal respectively with computerization of administrative issues and records retention. A number of exhibits contain sample entries to illustrate the principles explained in the text. (MLF)

This practical, easy-to-read guide explains the "why," "What," and "how" of school finance to those who need to understand the fundamentals of financial management. It allows readers to make the kind of informed, effective decisions that serve both the student body and the school's bottom line. Coverage incorporates the history of school finance and the changes that have come about in recent years; aligns its content to the most recent NCATE standards; and provides enough of the "nuts and bolts" of financing to ensure that the reader will easily grasp the subject. An expansive Resources for Administrators section at the end of the book provides the numerical standards used by all state Departments of Education and a comprehensive glossary of specialized financial terms make this book an excellent resource. A must-have desk reference for administrators in all facets of the education system. This book is also useful for those who sit on Education Boards, as well as those who make decisions about their community's use of resources.

Financing Public Schools moves beyond the basics of financing public elementary and secondary education to explore the historical, philosophical, and legal underpinnings of a viable public school system. Coverage includes the operational aspects of school finance, including issues regarding teacher salaries and pensions, budgeting for instructional programs, school transportation, and risk management. Diving deeper than other school finance books, the authors explore the political framework within which schools must function, discuss the privatization of education and its effects on public schools, offer perspectives regarding education as an investment in human capital, and expertly explain complex financial and economic issues. This comprehensive text provides the tools to apply the many and varied fiscal concepts and practices that are essential for aspiring public school administrators who aim to provide responsible stewardship for their students. Special Features: "Definitional Boxes" and "Key Terms" throughout chapters enhance understanding of difficult concepts. Coverage of legal, political, and historical issues provides a broader context and more complex understanding of school finance. Offers in-depth exploration of business management of financial resources, including fiscal accounting, school facilities, school transportation, financing with debt, and the nuances of school budgeting techniques.