FILE:  DC

Cf:  DIB

 

ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET

 

 

Under La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:88 et seq., the St. John the Baptist School Board is required to adopt and submit to the Louisiana Department of Education, no later than September 15 of each year, a budget of expected revenues and probable expenditures for the fiscal year, July 1 through June 30.  Although the state statute requires adoption prior to September 15th, it is the policy of the School Board to have its budget adopted prior to July 1 each year.

 

The Superintendent shall present a comprehensive budget presenting a complete financial plan for the ensuing fiscal year for the general fund and each special revenue fund.  The comprehensive budget shall show the estimated fund balances at the beginning of the year; estimates of all revenues itemized by source; recommended expenditures itemized by function; and the estimated balance at the end of the fiscal year.  The total of proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of estimated funds available for the ensuing fiscal year.

 

BUDGET PREPARATION/ADOPTION PROCEDURES

 

The budget process begins in January or after the final Minimum Foundation Program figures have been released.  The procedures are as follows:

 

  1. The Superintendent shall appoint a Budget Planning Team.

  2. The Business Manager shall present the Budget Planning Team with a projected fund balance for the fiscal year.

  3. The Budget Planning Team shall project revenues for the fiscal year and determine if any revenues are due for voter renewals.

  4. The Budget Planning Team shall meet with all department heads to discuss and determine staffing and other needs.  This process may take several weeks but should be finished by April 15 of each year.

  5. The first draft of the budget shall be prepared and reviewed by the Budget Planning Team.

  6. By May 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as expedient, the Budget Planning Team should submit a proposed budget to the Superintendent.

  7. By May 15 of each year, or as soon thereafter as expedient, the Superintendent shall complete his/her proposed budget.

  8. The proposed budget shall be presented to the Finance Committee at its May meeting for introduction and the School Board Members shall be given a copy for initial review.

  9. By June 1 the Proposed Budget shall be placed on public display at the Central Office.

  10. At least fifteen (15) days prior to the second meeting in June, the Budget shall be advertised in the School Board’s official journal.

  11. At the School Board’s first meeting in June, the Budget shall be presented to the School Board for introduction.

  12. The Finance Committee shall hold a public hearing on the Budget at its June meeting.  This hearing shall be advertised in the Official Journal.

  13. The School Board should adopt the Budget at its second meeting in June, or as soon thereafter as expedient.

 

BUDGET MONITORING AND AMENDMENTS

 

The budget monitoring process shall begin immediately with the start of the fiscal year.  The procedures are as follows:

 

  1. On the first day of each month the Business Manager shall prepare a budget report of the previous month’s activity, comparing the actual expenditures to budget expenditures and actual revenues to budgeted revenues.  The Finance Committee shall review this report at the monthly meeting.

  2. The Superintendent and School Board Members shall receive a copy of the report with their Finance Committee notice.

  3. At the end of each quarter, the Business Manager shall prepare a projected budget to actual report which projects the ending year fund balance.

  4. This report shall be reviewed by the Finance Committee and is placed on the School Board agenda for further review.

  5. The Superintendent shall advise the School Board, while presenting the quarterly report, when:

 

  1. Revenue collection plus projected revenue collections for the remainder of the year, within a fund, are failing to meet estimated annual budgeted revenues by five percent (5%) or more.

  2. Actual expenditures plus projected expenditures for the remainder of the year, within a fund, are exceeding the estimated budgeted expenditures by five percent (5%) or more.

  3. Actual beginning fund balance, within a fund, fails to meet estimated beginning fund balance by five percent (5%) or more and fund balance is being used to fund current year expenditures.

 

  1. The Superintendent or Business Manager shall be authorized to transfer funds from one account to another within a line item.

  2. The Superintendent or Business Manager shall be authorized to transfer funds from one line item to another line item as long as the transfer does not affect any line item by five percent (5%).

  3. Estimated annual expenditures in each line item may exceed budgeted expenditures in each line item as long as the overage is because of salaries and benefits.  The School Board shall be notified of this with the quarterly report.

  4. Instead of receiving a fourth quarterly report, the School Board shall receive an official recommended amended budget.  The School Board shall approve this amended budget at an open meeting.

  5. The proposed amended budget shall be presented to the Finance Committee at its May meeting for introduction and the School Board Members are given a copy for initial review.

  6. By June 1 the Proposed Amended Budget shall be put on public display at the Central Office.

  7. At least fifteen (15) days prior to the second meeting in June, the Proposed Amendment Budget shall be advertised in the official journal.

  8. At the School Board’s first meeting in June the Proposed Amended Budget shall be presented to the School Board for introduction.

  9. The Finance Committee shall hold a public hearing on the Proposed Amended Budget at its June meeting.  This meeting shall be advertised in the official journal.

  10. The School Board shall consider the Amended Budget for adoption at its June meeting.

 

ASSURANCE OF EQUITABLE FUNDING

 

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall provide funding for education through local, state and federal sources and shall use funds for the benefit of all students in the district, in compliance with all regulations by state and federal agencies granting such funds.  The School Board shall allocate such funds equitably and in the interest of all of the St. John the Baptist Parish students.  This ensures equivalence among schools in the provision of curricular materials and instructional supplies.  It is the policy of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board that it maintains an equitable and fair equivalence among the schools in the allotment of teachers, administrators, and auxiliary personnel.

 

Revised:  December, 1995

Revised:  July, 1999

Revised:  January, 2006

Revised:  April 12, 2018

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:88, 17:89, 39:1301, 39:1302, 39:1303, 39:1304, 39:1305, 39:1306, 39:1307, 39:1308, 39:1309, 39:1310, 39:1311, 39:1312, 39:1313, 39:1314

Board minutes, 6-3-99, 12-1-05, 4-12-18

 

St. John the Baptist Parish School Board