• File:  DA

    FISCAL MANAGEMENT GOALS

    The Barnstable Public School District is committed to maintaining strong fiscal management practices. These practices will be supported by thorough District level internal controls and procedures in compliance with state and federal laws, regulations, policies and guidelines.

    The quantity and quality of learning programs are directly dependent on the effective, efficient management of allocated funds. It follows that achievement of the school district's purposes can best be achieved through excellent fiscal management.

    As trustee of local, state, and federal funds allocated for use in public education, the Committee will fulfill its responsibility to see that these funds are used wisely for achievement of the purposes to which they are allocated in the annual budget.

    Because of resource limitations, there is sometimes a temptation to operate so that fiscal concerns overshadow the educational program. Recognizing this, it is essential that the school district takes specific action that ensures education remains central and that fiscal matters are ancillary and contribute to the educational program. This goal will be incorporated into Committee operations and into all aspects of school district management and operation.

    In the school district's fiscal management, it is the Committee's intent:

    1. To engage in thorough advance planning, with staff and community involvement, in order to develop budgets and to guide expenditures so as to achieve the greatest educational returns and the greatest contributions to the educational program in relation to dollars expended.
    2. To establish levels of funding that will provide high quality education for the students.
    3. To use the best available techniques for budget development and management.
    4. To provide timely and appropriate information to all staff with fiscal management responsibilities.
    5. To establish maximum efficiency procedures for accounting, reporting, business, purchasing and delivery, payroll, payment of vendors and contractors, and all other areas of fiscal management. 

    The district of internal controls coordinates District Policies and Procedures to safeguard assets; checks the accuracy and reliability of accounting data; promotes operational efficiency; and encourages adherence to prescribed managerial policies.

    Compliance with the internal control mandates will provide a basis for relying on district results and can be used to determine whether the financial statement of an audit presents fairly the financial position of a facility or program in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

    All staff, not just managers, should understand, , and support the District's internal control system. Internal control procedures should be part of the district's day-to-day operations, not a separate series of activities.

     

    Approved by the School Committee on May 3, 2023.