As part of a school district’s financial management, maintaining a reasonable unassigned fund balance provides a safety buffer for unforeseen expenses or revenue shortfalls. This is vital as it helps ensure adequate cash flow to cover the ongoing cost of operations. Managing these funds entails a strong understanding of their

Last updated on July 3rd, 2024Putting in the time and effort to prepare for an audit can help your district facilitate a smooth process that saves time and money; leads to a reliable and objective audit report; and helps detect and rectify potential issues before the audit begins. Here’s a

Last updated on June 13th, 2024In 2021, New York became one of the first states to approve a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) for K-12 teachers. Three years later, RAPs are growing in number, with a variety of support and resources available to get programs off the ground and reap their

As if the annual budget season for school administrators and Boards of Education (BOE) isn’t challenging enough, a lack of information about the final New York state budget’s impact on Foundation Aid and the hold harmless (also referred to as save harmless) provision, along with enrollment challenges and the pending

Last updated on February 13th, 2024In December, the New York State Board of Regents unveiled its proposed budget and legislative priorities for 2024-2025. Priorities focus on supporting lifelong learning, academic success, and improved outcomes; advancing equity, excellence, and access; and rebuilding the Department’s ability to support districts, teachers, students, and

It is estimated that 80% of school districts in the U.S. have some type of cell phone policy. Is yours going far enough? We enter 2024 with hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of children and school districts against social media behemoths for purportedly fostering addiction among young users of

We want to make sure you’re aware of a benefit that may be available to families of students in your district: a monthly discount on Internet services (plus other perks) via the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program. Put simply, anyone whose child is eligible for a free and/or reduced price school

Last updated on November 17th, 2023In 2022, public school teachers made 26.4% less than professionals with similar educations, a rate that hasn’t been seen since 1960, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). (Allegretto, Sylvia. “Teacher pay penalty still looms large.” September 29, 2023. https://www.epi.org/publication/teacher-pay-in-2022/#epi-toc-9.) According to