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CHAPTER 4 FISCAL MANAGEMENT
SECTION 4.1 - FISCAL MANAGEMENT GOALS/PRIORITY OBJECTIVES The quantity and quality of learning programs are directly affected by available funding and the effective, efficient management of those funds. It follows that achievement of the division’s financial goals can best be achieved through excellent fiscal management. Further, the Board recognizes the important trust inherent in managing substantial public resources. In the division’s fiscal management, the Board seeks to achieve the following goals:
ADOPTED: April 29, 1996
SECTION 4.2 - ANNUAL BUDGET The annual operating budget is the financial plan for the operation of the school division. It provides the framework for both expenditures and revenues for the year and translates into financial terms the educational programs and priorities for the division. After approval, the budget provides the primary means of managing revenues and expenditures. The fiscal year is defined as beginning on the first day of July and ending on the thirtieth day of the following June. It will be the duty of the Division Superintendent and his staff, with the guidance of the School Board, to prepare and estimate the amount of money needed for the support of the public schools. This will be prepared in the form of an annual budget to be approved by the School Board and submitted to the Board of Supervisors on or before April 1. The Division Superintendent will work closely with instructional and operational staff in studying the needs of the school division and in compiling a budget to meet those needs. Standard budget forms will be provided by the Division Superintendent for this purpose. Major expenditure budget classification information will be prepared according to state guidelines and the Division Superintendent will not permit expenditures of funds to exceed available revenues and the School Board approved budget amounts for the state approved major classifications. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.3 - FUNDING PROPOSALS, GRANTS, AND SPECIAL PROJECTS In order to offer the best educational opportunities possible for students of the division, the Board will seek as many sources of revenue as possible to supplement the funds provided through local taxation, the basic aid offered by the state, and federal funding. To ensure coordination and avoid confusion in developing proposals and making application for specially funded programs, the Division Superintendent will establish standard procedures for the preparation of grant applications and other proposals. ADOPTED: April 29, 1996
SECTION 4.4 - REVENUES FROM TAX SOURCES In an attempt to provide the best education possible within the financial resources available, the Board will:
ADOPTED: April 29, 1996
SECTION 4.5 - REVENUES FROM NONTAX SOURCES The School Board may obtain and receive funds from non tax sources including but not limited to various student fees, rentals, athletic events, royalties, refunds, insurance loss reimbursements, sale of surplus property, rebates, advertisements, gifts, interest on investments, and other sources not prohibited by state law. ADOPTED: April 29, 1996
SUB-SECTION 4.5.1 - STUDENT FEES Student fees will be set by the School Board on an annual basis according to the Code of Virginia and Regulations of the State Board of Education. No fees may be charged without prior approval of the School Board. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SUB-SECTION 4.5.2 - USE FEES Fees charged to non-school groups for the use of real and personal property will be approved by the School Board. ADOPTED: April 29, 1996
SECTION 4.6 - RISK MANAGEMENT The York County School Board desires to lessen the potential loss due to damage to property and its associated expenses, liability to third parties, and injury to employees. Accordingly, it is the policy of the York County School Board that:
ADOPTED: March 15, 1993
SUB-SECTION 4.6.1 – INSURANCE COVERAGE It is the policy of the County School Board to procure insurance for liability and property damage as recommended by the Division Superintendent with the assistance of a risk management consultant. Such insurance shall consist of, but not be limited to the following categories of property and liability insurance. Property: general property; scheduled property; computer hardware; money and securities; employees dishonesty; and motor vehicles. Liability: worker’s compensation; liability related to motor vehicle operation; liability to non-employees unrelated to motor vehicle operation; School Board legal liability; fiduciary liability, and excess liability. ADOPTED: November 21, 1994
SUB-SECTION 4.6.2 – ACCOUNTING FOR INJURED EMPLOYEES To minimize loss to the County School Board the Division Superintendent shall administer worker’s compensation insurance coverage by an efficient process which reports on job injuries to employees quickly and monitors employees’ recovery to full employment status in a comprehensive and timely manner. The Division Superintendent shall implement this policy by appropriate means which are coordinated with carrier of the worker’s compensation insurance. ADOPTED: November 21, 1994
SUB-SECTION 4.6.3 - FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE BOND The School Board will provide a blanket faithful performance bond covering all employees, volunteers, and elected officials while acting in a fiduciary capacity. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.7 - FISCAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING The primary purposes of the division’s financial accounting and reporting structure are statutory compliance and accurate public reporting of the financial position and results of the financial operations of the constituent funds and self-balancing account groups of the division. Funds received and/or disbursed by any agent of the division will be accounted for carefully and accurately. Procedures will conform with generally accepted accounting practices, including appropriate separation of accounts and funds. The Division Superintendent will be responsible for directing the fiscal management of the school system, including financial accounting, purchasing, preparation of the budget and payrolls. He will make reports to the Board on a regular basis as to the financial condition of the system as it relates to disbursements and revenues. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988 SUB-SECTION 4.7.1 - STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS Student activity funds are intended to finance programs within the schools and must be expended in a manner to benefit the student body. The funds are to be maintained in a manner consistent with the Code of Virginia and Regulations of the State Board of Education. The Division Superintendent shall implement the policy by appropriate regulations. The principal will be responsible for the systematic handling and accounting for all monies collected for any purpose within his school. At the end of the fiscal year the School Board will provide the services of a certified public accountant to audit each individual school’s accounts. All school accounts will be kept in accordance with State Department of Education guidelines. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SUB-SECTION 4.7.2 - INVENTORIES The accountability for all equipment and materials belonging to the York County School Board and the maintenance of current inventory stock records is the responsibility of the Division Superintendent or his designee. The accountability of all materials and equipment within the individual schools is the responsibility of the individual school principal. The Division Superintendent will implement this policy with appropriate standard operating procedures. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SUB-SECTION 4.7.3 - CAPITAL ASSETS The Division Superintendent is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of capital assets owned by the County School Board in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Division Superintendent will implement this policy with appropriate regulations and standard operating procedures. ADOPTED: June 26, 2000
SUB-SECTION 4.7.4 - AUDIT OF SCHOOL BOARD ACCOUNTS Arrangements for the audit of School Board accounts by an independent Certified Public Accountant will be coordinated with the County Board of Supervisors. The Division Superintendent or designee is responsible for preparing an audited Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) as a component unit of the County of York as soon as practical after the close of each fiscal year. The audited CAFR, including the auditor’s report on compliance and internal controls, will be presented to the Board. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.8 - PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES Procurement of all goods and services by the County School Board and all of its employees shall be made pursuant to the York County Ordinance on centralized purchasing policy and the policy’s implementing regulations. In school division procurement the Division Superintendent or his designee shall be the County School Board’s designee for any action or authority assigned to the “Approving Authority’s designee” in the centralized purchasing policy. REVISED: February 24, 1992
SUB-SECTION 4.8.1 - AUTHORITY OF PRINCIPALS TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS The principal of each school is authorized to execute contracts in which monetary consideration is provided from the School’s Activity Fund. All contracts shall be in the name of the County School Board of York County. Such expenditures shall comply with the Virginia Public Procurement Act. All written contracts shall be approved as to form by the County Attorney before execution. The Division Superintendent shall implement this policy by appropriate regulations. ADOPTED: May 20, 1991
SUB-SECTION 4.8.2 - YORK COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD EXECUTIVE ACCOUNT The School Board authorizes maintenance of one executive account in the Division Superintendent’s office. The fund will never exceed six hundred dollars ($600) and will be managed by the Clerk of the Board. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SUB-SECTION 4.8.3 - SALESMEN AND COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVES In order that a teacher may give his undivided attention to his class, no salesmen or commercial representatives will be given permission to call upon teachers during class hours. Where authorized, such contacts will be limited to appointments after the close of the regular school day and arranged through the school principal. In order to limit the demands upon the time of the principals to proper purposes, salesmen, agents and commercial representatives will be required to have a letter of permission from the Division Superintendent prior to conducting business with the principal. Letters that have been issued in the past may be presumed to have expired on June 30th of each year and new ones will be required with each new school year. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.9 - PAYMENT PROCEDURES The Division Superintendent is directed to organize and to administer a system for recording receipts and payment of goods and services. The payment system shall provide for a proper recording and prompt payment of all transactions and shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and regulations of all government agencies. To the extent that the York County ordinances on centralized purchasing allows approval of purchases by the approving authority’s designee, approval of all payments shall be authorized by the agent or deputy agent of the Board, who shall be appointed annually by the Board to serve in this capacity. The services of the county central accounting department will be utilized to issue checks for claims arising from financial commitments of the School Board. Accurate records of payment of claims and day to day position of all budget items will be available in the School Board Office. The Division Superintendent will certify to the Board all claims for approval. Advantage should be taken of discounts for prompt payment of all obligations. Certification of claims will normally be presented to the Board on a monthly basis. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SUB-SECTION 4.9.1 - PAYROLL Employees shall be paid pursuant to the School Board’s Pay Plan. The salary schedules in the pay plan will be approved by the School Board annually. Funding for salaries and other payments to employees for services rendered shall be authorized as a part of the annual operating budget. The Division Superintendent, by regulation, shall establish appropriate procedures to pay employees earned salaries in a timely and accurate manner. Such Superintendent regulation shall also ensure compliance with governing state and federal statutes and regulations. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SUB-SECTION 4.9.2 - TRAVEL, REIMBURSEMENT AND OTHER EXPENSES It shall be the duty of each budget holder (staff member with supervisory control for expending funds in an assigned account) to examine all requests for reimbursement for which they are responsible. All such expenditures shall be necessary and reasonable for the efficient and effective operation of the school division. Reimbursement for lodging and meals on out of county assignments will not exceed the reasonable cost of the room and meals. In those cases where costs are excessive, proper justification and explanation will be required before reimbursement. Travel allowances will be provided to employees who must travel on School Board business and use their private automobile. The travel allowance for reimbursement will be the standard mileage rate per mile allowed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for business travel. If at any time the IRS deems it necessary to adjust the standard mileage reimbursement rate the York County School Board rate will automatically adjust to the new IRS rate. Reimbursement requests should be submitted on a monthly or quarterly basis. Receipts for all expenditures except car mileage must be attached to the reimbursement form before items can be considered reimbursable. If receipts for expenses cannot be obtained, explanations are to be attached, i.e., tips and taxi fares. Alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed. The Chair will serve as approval authority for all travel reimbursement requests of Board members and of the Division Superintendent. The Vice-Chair will serve as approval authority for all travel reimbursement requests of the School Board Chair. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.10 - CASH IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS No monies will be left at any time in any area of any school building with exception of the principal’s office. If any monies are kept overnight in the schools, it is at the risk of the principal. All funds must be deposited in a regular school account in a bank. The principal will ensure that any loss experienced is repaid by the end of the school year in which the loss occurred. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.11 - SALE, EXCHANGE OR LEASE OF SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY REAL PROPERTY The County School Board shall acquire and dispose of real property in accordance with existing statutes. As the need arises, the Division Superintendent shall recommend, with the advice of the County Attorney for the Board’s approval: conveyance of an easement on school division realty; adjustment of boundary lines; conveyance of realty in trust to secure loans; the lease of real property, from either a private owner or public body, for school division purposes; and the lease of school realty to either a private party or public body for no more than three years. Lease agreements resulting from the Request for Proposal process are exempt from the three-year limitation The Division Superintendent shall establish regulations for the lease of school division buildings pursuant to the School Board’s policy on use of such buildings for other than school purposes. See School Board Policy Section 11.2.5. PERSONAL PROPERTY The Division Superintendent is authorized to sell personal property for which the school division no longer has any need. Such sale of personal property shall be at public auction pursuant to the York County ordinance on Centralized Purchasing Policy. School Board employees are not authorized to participate in such auctions. The Division Superintendent is authorized to transfer personal property for which the school division no longer has any need to other governmental agencies.
AVOIDING CONFLICT OF INTERESTS In addition to the foregoing, any sales, leases, or exchanges of real or personal property to or with an officer or employee of the School Board shall conform to the requirements of the Virginia State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act, Chapter 31, Title 2.2, Code of Virginia.
REVISED: May 18, 1992; April 29, 1996; December 17, 2007
SECTION 4.12 - FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY SCHOOLS Fund raising activities provide funds which contribute to the operation or maintenance of any club or organization of the school. Fund raising activities may be internal and external. Internal fund raising activities take place on school premises or in an alternate location available exclusively to the school. External fund raising take place outside of the school.
ADOPTED: June 20, 1988
SECTION 4.13 - SALE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND RELATED ITEMS TO PUPILS Sale of photographs and related items to pupils is considered to be an internal fund raising activity as well as a service to pupils and their parents. Advertisement for competitive proposals must be made and proposals properly accepted in a confidential manner. Contracts may be awarded according to the quality of service as well as price, but no vendor will be designated the “official supplier.” An affirmative and complete disclosure must be made by the school to pupils and parents that the project is a fund raising activity, and that they may purchase the goods elsewhere. The disclosure must include the amount that will be retained by the school and the use of the funds. ADOPTED: June 20, 1988 |