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Updated Edition of Bestseller

The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting

Fourth Edition (Revised and Updated Edition)
By: Richard D. Sorenson, Lloyd M. Goldsmith

This essential resource for principals covers effective budgeting practices, accounting and auditing procedures, and building the school budget within a collaborative decision-making context.

Full description

Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781071915851
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2024
Page Count: 296
Publication date: May 01, 2024

Price: $44.95

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For Instructors

This book is not available as a review copy.

Description

Align your school budget with your vision for student achievement

Since 2006, The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting has been a best-seller, supporting thousands of principals in navigating the complex process of school budgeting. This fourth edition hones in on the message that a school budget should be a reflection of the school’s vision for student growth, an open culture, and a positive school climate. This edition offers new information on how national and state reform and political practices affect school allocations and emphasizes the need for appropriate budget visioning, planning, analysis, and needs assessment. Covering the budgeting process, effective budgeting practices, accounting and auditing procedures, and building the school budget within a collaborative decision-making context, this comprehensive guide includes:

In-chapter vignettes and discussion questions
Case study applications and experiential exercises
A budget development project
New discussion of technology's impact on budgetary practices, phishing scams, and fundraising

The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting is an essential resource for practicing and aspiring school administrators who want to master their accounting and auditing procedures. By effectively managing the school budgeting process, principals can contribute to improved student achievement and strengthen connections with the school community.

Author(s)

Richard D. Sorenson

Learn more about Richard Sorenson's PD offerings

Richard D. Sorenson, professor emeritus, is the former director of the Principal Preparation Program and chairperson of the Educational Leadership and Foundations Department at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He earned his doctorate from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi in educational leadership. Dr. Sorenson served public schools for 25 years as a social studies teacher, assistant principal, principal, and associate superintendent for human resources.

Dr. Sorenson worked with graduate students at UTEP in the area of school-based budgeting, personnel, educational law, and leadership development. During his 20-year tenure, he was named The University of Texas at El Paso College of Education Professor of the Year, and he remains an active writer with numerous professional journal publications. Dr. Sorenson continues to author other principal-oriented textbooks. He also developed teacher resource guides, and workbooks in the area of the elementary and secondary social studies curricula. He has been actively involved in numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP), for which he conducted, for a decade, annual new-principal academy seminars.

Dr. Sorenson has been married to his wife, Donna, for the past 48 years and they have two adult children, Lisa (a school counselor with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas) and Ryan (an exercise physiologist in Dallas, Texas); a wonderful son-in-law, Sam (a petroleum engineer in Houston, Texas); and a delightful daughter-in-law, Nataly (executive director of a Christian center in Dallas, Texas) along with four amazing grandchildren: Savannah, Nehemiah, and Amelia, and one little guy, Oliver—all of whom are the pride and joy of his life. Rick and Donna, long-term residents of El Paso, out in the mountain and desert region of “true” West Texas, now reside near their grandchildren in Cypress (northwest Houston), Texas.

Lloyd M. Goldsmith

Lloyd M. Goldsmith, professor emeritus, earned his EdD in educational leadership from Baylor University. He was a professor for 20 years at Abilene Christian University (ACU), some of those years at ACU (Dallas), where he taught doctoral courses in leadership theory. He also served as an admissions officer as well as a former director of the Principal Preparation Program and department chairperson at ACU. Dr. Goldsmith taught school budgeting, instructional leadership, and leadership theory. He served public schools for 29 years as an elementary science teacher, middle school assistant principal, and elementary school principal.

Dr. Goldsmith and a fellow chemistry professor codirected a program facilitating high school chemistry teachers in developing effective instructional strategies. Dr. Goldsmith served on several state committees for the Texas Education Agency. He also served two terms as president of the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration.

He is an active member at his church and enjoys serving others. He spends time volunteering at his grandchildren’s schools and supporting their activities. He also enjoys traveling and attending ACU sporting events.

Dr. Goldsmith has been married to his wife, Mary, for the past 40 years. They reside near their three children and families in Abilene, Texas. Mary is a retired high school biology teacher, serving students for 41 years. Lloyd and Mary have three adult children—Abigail (active in the PTO where she serves as president) and her husband, Andrew (works in business development for a nuclear research lab), Eleanor (a second grade Title I teacher), and her husband, Kris (a chef, restaurant owner and culinary arts teacher), and Nelson (a licensed professional building inspector) and his wife, Kristen. He also has four grandchildren, Luke, Hilary, Levi, and Oliver. Plus, the Goldsmiths’ have six grand dogs! Life is good!

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Budget–Vision Relationship and the

Chapter 2: Culture, Data, Conflict Resolution, and Celebrating Success

Chapter 3: A Model for Integrating Vision, Planning, and Budgeting

Chapter 4: Understanding the Budgeting Process

Chapter 5: School Funding and Steps to Budgeting Success

Chapter 6: Effective, Efficient, and Essential Budgeting Practices

Chapter 7: Accounting, Auditing, Risk Factors, and Leadership Behaviors

Chapter 8: Site-Based Decision Making, The Budget Coding Structure

Chapter 9: Building the School Budget: Budgetary Applications and Specialized Forms and Procedures

Resource A. The Budget Development Project – A Hands-On Experiential Exercise

Resource B. Selected Forms

Resource C. Experiential Exercises

Resource D. Budgeting Checklist for School Administrators

References

Index

Reviews

Drs. Sorenson and Goldsmith have carefully updated their outstanding book to include the latest information in a lively, engaging format. Their illustrative stories and case studies help new leaders learn how to apply knowledge and skills to bring about improvements in schools so that all learners can succeed. I highly recommend this guide which all educational leaders will want to keep as a ready reference.

Michael Fanning, Instructor
Educational Leadership Program, California State University, East Bay Hayward, California

Perhaps the most powerful element of this edition is the humanistic approach to budgeting which addresses issues such as equity, cultural responsiveness, and diversity. As school demographics and needs change, school administrators must understand their stakeholder’s evolving fiscal requisites. It also addresses the current political climate and technologies that are now a permanent part of leading schools.

Angus S. Mungal, Assistant Professor
Department of Leadership and Counselor Education, School of Education, The University of Mississippi

I strongly recommend this excellent and comprehensive guide from the novice principal to the most experienced school leader. This text is vision and values driven. The authors use case studies to illustrate the importance of both the leader’s values as well as those of all the stakeholders, to create a school community marked by ethics, integrity, fairness, and equity. They are especially sensitive to issues in contemporary diverse communities.

Arturo Pacheco, Professor Emeritus
Educational Leadership and Foundations, Former Dean, College of Education, University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas

The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting, 4th edition is an invaluable resource for campus principals and school leaders. Building on established budgeting procedures, the authors move from theoretical principles into practical applications. The case studies are especially beneficial in assisting novice administrators in solving the everyday challenges of developing a school budget.

Virginia L. Mosier, Retired Public School Administrator
Abilene, Texas

The Fourth Edition of the Principal's Guide to School Budgeting, offers busy principals discussions of the realities of budget constraints and cuts, thought-provoking discussion questions, rich case studies, checklists, the connection of school budgets to vision and planning, a message of accountability, and a discussion on school budget audits.

Louis Lim, Principal
Bur Oak Secondary School, Markham, Ontario, Canada

The school budget is where school leaders will likely struggle and spend the most time. This bible will be the school leader’s best friend. When the fiscal environment is shaky, this book will provide the necessary assurance regarding best practices. It includes great case studies, wisdom, and resources.

Ken Darvall, Principal
Tema International School, Ghana

This book serves as a desk top reference regarding the ins and outs of school budgets. It is a must read for school administrators and those working towards their administration degree. Each chapter offers a plethora of ideas, structures, and information about budgets for a school administrator.

Tanna Nicely, Executive Principal
Knox County Schools, Knoxville, Tennessee

Other Titles in: Finance/Funding/Grantwriting | Principalship

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For Instructors

This book is not available as a review copy.

Related Resources

Align Your School Budget With Your Vision for Student Achievement [Book excerpt]