ESD 755 - Financial Frameworks (3)

In this course, the student will develop an understanding of the overall framework of school finance and how it works at the federal, state and local levels. The legal and statutory frameworks for school finance and budgeting will be explored. The student will understand the policy foundations of school finance and will be able to apply the notion of policy to the development of a model budget for their district. The budget will be reviewed as an instrument of policy and priority and as a strategy for “adding value” to a management task. The student will understand the role of management, administration and leadership in the financial framework of the district and in the process of developing, implementing and administering a budget. The course will cover such concepts as “budget as policy” and various methodologies for budgeting that make the process more transparent and more engaging in both development and administration.