The Ultimate Guide to School Budgeting

There is more to running a school than providing children with a solid education. Educational establishments are also responsible for both financial planning and management, and the decisions made will determine a student’s education. It is therefore essential for institutions to have a firm grasp on their finances. For this reason, you must read the ultimate guide to school budgeting.

Refinancing of Debt

The first thing you must evaluate is the level of debt a school currently has, and how you can overcome your financial obstacles. A failure to do so may result in mounting interest rates, outdated facilities and poor academic and pastoral care performances. It might therefore be worthwhile to consider charter school financing from a leading investment firm, as they could help you refinance existing debt, establish a capital plan, and provide advice for future developments, which will enable the school to have more funds for the areas that really need it.

Review Your School’s Data

Before you create a school budget, utilize your school’s data to improve its finances. For example, it is worthwhile reviewing old budgets to learn more about previous budgets, so you can identify where the school over and under-spent.

Also, are there areas or departments of the school that could benefit from financial investment? Or maybe you need to update staff salaries or employ more teachers. It is important to gain a thorough understanding of your institution’s current and future needs, so you can identify the best places to make an investment or cut back on expenditure.

Change Suppliers

When was the last time your school reviewed supplier pricing? With more competition in the market than ever before, you would be wise to review your suppliers to identify if you can find more affordable products elsewhere. For example, perform a price comparison on a pack of school books by reviewing prices in-store, on the internet or from a school supplies catalogue. Changing suppliers could help your school save a considerable amount of money each year.

Also, consider whether buying in bulk is a cost-effective solution for your educational establishment. While you might receive a discount for a bulk purchase, you will be tied to one price for the whole year. So, it might be cheaper to regularly shop around to receive the best deal for your school’s budget.

Teach Financial Accountability

Many teachers will not give a school’s finances a second thought until they become a senior member of staff. It is therefore essential to explain financial accountability to your teaching staff. Use real life scenarios to explain the importance of reducing expenditure.

Gather your employees together to discuss your school’s finances in a friendly, approachable and transparent manner. Also, ask individual members of staff questions to gain an insight into their financial knowledge. For instance, ask them what field trips they would like to take their students on this year, before asking them if they have priced the cost of a trip and if they have taken into account its hidden fees. This will demonstrate the importance of saving money when possible, so teachers and administrators will become more accountable regarding the school’s financial decisions.

Photo by Rafael Sato