School Money Matters: A Handbook for Principals

Most school leaders are selected for their creative instructional skills and ability to motivate others. However, even the best educational leaders can be unprepared for the responsibility of spending and accounting for the thousands of dollars that pass through a school's books each year. Without solid understanding of school financial management, administrators may find these reponsibilities a serious distraction from their primary pedagogical mission. They may also risk damage to their careers and to the reputations of their schools. School Money Matters is a concise, practical desk reference, based on sound accounting principles and written specifically for professionals at the school level. It includes understandable guidance on twenty critical topics such as Activity Fund Safeguards, Admission Tickets, Audits, School Credit/Purchasing Cards, Employee Embezzlement, Fund-Raising Events, Gifts to Students or Staff, Parent Organizations, Vending Services, and the School Budget. Featuring a comprehensive glossary of school financial terms, graphic organizers to clarify accounting concepts, and a checklist for monitoring financial activities throughout the school year, this book provides the information principals need to safeguard and protect themselves - and their staffs - from the suspicion of theft or laxness so that maximum time can be devoted to placing instructional resources in the hands of students and staff.

Davida W. Mutter spent thirty years in public education, 19 of them with Chesapeake Public Schools in Virginia serving as Assistant Superintendent for Budget and Finance, and Director of the departments of Budget, Accounting, Internal Audit, and Staff Development. Pam Parker is a certified public accountant, a certified internal auditor, and the former Chief Internal Auditor of Chesapeake Public Schools.