1 / 11

Charter School Finance: Best Practices and Expectations

Enhance community school board members' financial understanding to improve decision-making. Cover state & federal funding, budgets, audits, protocols, debt service, monitoring, fiscal officers, waivers, forecasting, compliance, and consequences. 8 Relevant

gosnell
Download Presentation

Charter School Finance: Best Practices and Expectations

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. School Finance 102 Expectations & Best Practices OCCS Regional Board Training

  2. Agenda Today’s Goal • To help community school board members understand aspects of charter school funding and other financial matters in order to raise their level of comfort when faced with financial decisions. Today’s Agenda: • State Funding • Federal Funding • Other Funding • Budgets and Financial Review • Five-Year Forecasts • Annual Financial Audits • OCCS Expectations

  3. Financial Statement Formats • There is no “Correct Format”. What is usable and understandable to you. • What financial data do you need to make an informed decision for your school? • Keep it Simple - Institute a 10 Minute Rule • Finance Committee • Review Financials in detail and report a Summary to Full Board • Work with your School Treasurer • Best Practices • Monitoring & Projecting Cash Flows • Operations • Future Liabilities • Debt Service (if applicable) • Monitoring Budget

  4. Fiscal Officer – Relationship • Independent Fiscal Officer – HB 2 Change • Requires fiscal officers to be employed by or engaged under a contract with the governing authority of the school • Intent – Keep Fiscal Officers acting in the best interest of the school/governing authority • Requirement can be Waived with Board Resolution but MUST also be Approved by Sponsor • OCCS Waiver Requirements • Treasurer has License, background checks and bond • Treasurer has never had a school deemed unauditable • The school’s prior year audit does not have Finding fore Recovery or Questioned Costs • Debt to Mgmt Co is not greater than Total Assets

  5. OCCS Monthly Monitoring • Enrollment • FTE and School Reported Headcounts • Fluctuations (decreases) • 10%, Notes • 15%, Formal Discussions • 20%, Corrective Action • Budget vs. Actual • Comparison • Expenses Out of Line With: • Time of Year • Revenues • CASH • 30-60 days on hand or Where are you going to get it?

  6. Forecasts • What will this information be used for? • October and May • START EARLY (2-3 months) • Time to understand, plan and make corrections • ORC 5705.391 & OAC 3301-92-04 • If there is a deficit projected in one of the first three years forecasted there should be a PLAN in place to eliminate deficits. • Cash Basis – should not end in negative cash balance, there is a line for Debt Proceeds, Credits, etc. • REASONABLE Assumptions

  7. ODE Budgets – 3314.032 NEW • What will this information be used for? • Due October 31st each fiscal year • START EARLY (2-3 months) • Time to understand, plan and make corrections • USAS format • >20% Mgmt Co. must report in greater detail than “Purchased Services” • Need to submit RESOLUTION of approval • REASONABLE Assumptions • Budget Per Pupil

  8. Audits • Expectation - Clean Audits • The financial data is often dated, however it is (relatively) Consistent. • Opinions • Unmodified - GOOD • Qualified (Qualifications) - BAD • Financial Statement Opinion, Federal Program Opinion • Emphases of Matter • Going Concerns • GASB 68 Effects • Findings • Material Weaknesses, Material Misstatements, Significant Deficiencies • Findings for Recovery, Questioned Costs • >= $5,000

  9. Contract Financial Goals • Does your school have Financial Goals? • Check your Attachment 5 – Performance and Accountability Plan • Make sure that your School Treasurer is Aware of these Goals • Goal Template (attachment) • Consequences • Considered OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH CHARTER CONTRACT • Corrective Action Plans • Self-Initiated • OCCS Letter of Concern • OCCS Probation • OCCS Intent to Suspend

  10. Reauthorization • Financial Data Dashboard • Meeting Financial Standards each year of the school’s Contract. • Annual Audit Standards • GASB 68 Effects not considered • Assets to Liabilities (Current and Multi-Year) • Cash on Hand • Total Margin and Three-Year Aggregated Total Margin • FTE Variance v. Budget (FTE Trends) • Consequences of Not Meeting Standards • Renewed or Non-renewed • Trending Up or Down? • Reasonable Exceptions • Non-Renewed, Closure

  11. Questions? Adrianne Shreve (419) 720-5202 adrianne@ohioschools.org

More Related