This course has broadened my understanding of school finance, but it has also shown me how much I do not know. School finance encompasses such a wide arena of knowledge, that it will take continued practice for me to truly feel like I understand all of it.
The competencies that I feel are strengths for me are the competencies with which I already have some experience. These include effective budget management, ethical accounting principles, and use of technology to enhance operations. I currently manage a sizable budget as part of my responsibility includes serving as the Director of Career and Technical Education. I am comfortable with managing this budget and applying ethical procedures for accounting and purchasing equipment with federal and state funds. This level of comfort took some time, however, as I asked lots of questions, attended professional development activities, and learned by continually working to become more familiar with these items.
I do feel that I have gained some competencies through this course. I understand much more about lining up the budget with district visions and applying legal policies. After looking at district improvement plans and budgets, I began to see how the two line up. I am much more aware of how my district budget lines up with board goals. I have also learned a great deal about legal policies and feel much more comfortable applying these. I also know how to find these policies if I ever have a question. I have also gained more knowledge and confidence in the area of personnel management through this course, readings, and experiences.
While I feel that I have gained understanding in many areas, I still need to work on developing a district budget, account auditing procedures, and revenue forecasting. I spent a great deal of time talking with our Assistant Superintendent/ Business Manager about these areas. Although I understand a great deal more about these topics, I will need to read, ask questions, and practice a great deal more before I am completely comfortable working on my own.
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