Budget

Development
Project
JAY LIEDEL
SCHOOL FINANCE SUMMER 2015 KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

Defining Stakeholders

Sorenson & Goldsmith indicate this as a vital first step, as all

stakeholders need to be part of the planning process

In this school setting, this is difficult due to the geographic reality

of the building serving students from many different districts and
communities throughout the county

For the purposes of this plan, stakeholders are limited to the

teachers and other staff working daily with students, the program
supervisor, and the assistant superintendent of the county entity

It is noted that parents are an important piece of our community,

and as a service provider, we have a different relationship with
parents than a school district

Stakeholder Selection

This plan follows the recommendation of making teachers the

majority of the planning team (Sorenson & Goldsmith 2006)

The school community is very small, comprising 4 classrooms (k12), 3 teachers engaged in the planning process along with the
program supervisor and assistant superintendent

The collective group of teachers and supervisor have extensive

experience working in a separate facility environment and
serving students with these particular needs

Parental and student input was included during the data

gathering process from previous interviews, yet were not able to
formally engage in the planning process due to the timing of
planning (summer)

Needs/Strengths Assessment

The interviews completed with stakeholders led to some emerging themes

regarding the school setting, the themes are as follows:

1.

The setting includes well qualified, experienced, dedicated staff

2.

Staff trusts each other and are focused on the same goal (success of our
students)

3.

There is no autonomy/access to data regarding the budget for the program

4.

Teachers have no access to curriculum, yet teach multiple subjects and

grades

5.

The building lacks access to appropriate technology

6.

There is a lack of staffing levels to meet student needs, teachers are

frequently left alone in the class with students

7.

9-12 grade class lacks access to mental health services

Data Analysis

Several data points were examined with regard to school functioning

The data relates to one semester of school performance and is seen

to adequately approximate general performance

It is noted that such data is not readily available or collected

routinely, as a function of existing in a separate facility environment
with lack of resources to collect, and analyze data regularly

The data was collected during an equity audit process during the
previous school year

It is noted that data regarding traditional budget exploration are not

available to the program supervisor and thusly cannot be included in
this report

OAA/OGT scores

Behavior by gender/race

Access to mental health services

Identification and
Prioritization of
Needs

Need 1: Access to Curriculum

Materials

All respondents in interviews identified this as the main need

with regard to budget issues

Teachers are expected to develop and implement curriculum for

multiple grades and multiple subjects with no budget of
administrative support

Current theories of instruction define the construct (instruction)as

interactions of teachers and students around content that occur
in environments (Cohen et al. 2003, Hiebert and Grouws 2007).
These interactions are shaped by how teachers and students
deploy and mobilize their personal (e.g. knowledge, beliefs) and
systemic (e.g. curriculum materials, school facilities,
instructional time) resources. (Charalambous & Hill 2012)

Need 2: Access to Technology

Students we serve do not have access to appropriate curriculum

and technology as compared to peers who attend school in a
public school setting. It is noted that currently students do not
have access to smartboard technology or tablets in the building.
The technology students have access to is limited to a handful of
outdated computers, and any technology that is owned/provided
by staff members.

Research relating the benefits of using technology based

assessments specifically with special education students.
(Christensen & Rogers 2013).

Need 3: Access to mental Health

Services

Outreach to a broader set of exposed youth may reduce the

impact of violence and its consequences for vulnerable students
(Green et al 2012)

Students exposed to violence often do not receive mental health

services (Guterman et al 2002) and a high percentage of
students we serve have been exposed

School Counselors are acutely aware of the link between student

psychological concerns and the ability to succeed in school
(Brown, Dahlbeck, & Sparkman-Barnes, 2006; Eppler & Weir,
2009) making their role crucial

Goal Setting

Goal #1 Increase access to

curricular materials

Instructional strategies and curricular materials both are thought

to leave a significant mark on the quality of instruction (Remillard
2005, Stein et al. 2007). We are currently not addressing
curricular materials in any meaningful manner

The program supervisor will continue to lobby for a budget for

curricular materials with administrative entities and see budget
specifics surrounding the program (have a budget for the new
year)

Teachers will seek alternative funds (grants, fundraising, etc.) to

increase access to curricular materials

Goal 2 Increase access to

technology

The program supervisor will continue to lobby/request technology

from the districts we serve and that new regulations and
protocols regarding state mandated testing will have an impact
on timeframes for technology and is an ongoing situation

Create a core technology team that will meet at regular intervals

to plan for identification of appropriate technology
(tablets/laptops/software etc). The team will attempt to
determine which technological supports will be most effective in
our setting.

Specifically look for technology based assessment as Christensen

& Rogers 2013 identified these as benefitting special education
students

Goal 3 Increase access to mental

health services

Program supervisor will continue to lobby for increased mental

health services for the 9-12 classroom.

Thementalwell-being of a child has a large impact on their

academic, behavioral and interpersonal development which
provides yet another reason for providingmentalhealthservices
in theschools (Hill, Ohmstede, & Mims 2012)

Children cannot learn effectively and be successful if they are

struggling with a mental health problem (American Counseling
Association, American School Counselor Association, NASP, &
School Social Work Association of America, 2006)

Reflections

The setting is struggling with academic performance in general

and this is directly related to a lack of funding for curricular
materials in any meaningful manner

The staff in the building are skilled in areas of instructional

strategies and best practices for working with these specific
students but are impeded in academic areas due to lack of
spending in areas of curricular materials and technology

There is large, research backed support for providing effective

mental health services in the school setting, especially for
students with trauma backgrounds which constitutes all of our
students

There is a need for the program supervisor to access the budget

and hopefully this will happen for the next school year

References

American Counseling Association, American School Counseling Association, National Association of School Psychologists, & School Social Work
Association of America. (2006). Removing barriers and improving student outcomes: The importance of school-based mental health services. Retrieved
from http://www. nasponline.org/advocacy/briefhandout0306.pdf. on November 12, 2008.

Brown, C., Dahlbeck, D. T., & SparkmanBarnes, L. (2006). Collaborative relationships: School counselors and non-school mental health professionals
working together to improve the mental health needs of students. Professional School Counseling, 9, 332335.

Charalambous, C. Y., & Hill, H. C. (2012). Teacher knowledge, curriculum materials, and quality of instruction: Unpacking a complex
relationship.Journal Of Curriculum Studies,44(4), 443-466. doi:10.1080/00220272.2011.650215

Christensen, L. L., & Rogers, C. M. (2013). Leadership for Access to Technology-based Assessments.Journal Of Special Education Leadership,26(1), 1624.

Cohen, D., Raudenbush, S. and Ball, D. (2003) Resources, instruction, and research. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 25(2), 124

Eppler, C., & Weir, S. (2009). Family assessment in K-12 settings: Understanding family systems to provide effective, collaborative services. Psychology
in the Schools, 46,

Guterman NB, Hahm HC, Cameron M. Adolescent victimization and subsequent use of mental health counseling services. J Adolesc Health.
2002;30(5):336-345.

Green, J. G., Johnson, R. M., Dunn, E. C., Lindsey, M., Xuan, Z., & Zaslavsky, A. M. (2014). Mental Health Service Use Among High School Students
Exposed to Interpersonal Violence.Journal Of School Health,84(2), 141-149. doi:10.1111/josh.12125

Hiebert, J. and Grouws, D. A. (2007) The effects of classroom mathematics teaching on students learning. In F. K. Lester (ed.), Second Handbook of
Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning (Charlotte, NC: Information Age), 371404.

Hill, J., Ohmstede, T., & Mims, M. (2012). A LOOK INTO MENTAL HEALTH IN THE SCHOOLS.International Journal Of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial
Approach / Tarptautinis Psichologijos Zurnalas: Biopsichosocialinis Poziuris, (11), 119-131. doi:10.7220/1941-7233.11.6

Sorenson, R. & Goldsmith, L. (2006).The principals guide to school budgeting. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Stein, M. K., Remillard, J. and Smith, M. S. (2007) How curriculum influences student learning. In F. K. Lester (ed.), Second Handbook of Research on
Mathematics Teaching and Learning (Charlotte, NC: Information Age), 319369.

Remillard, J. T. (2005) Examining key concepts in research on teachers use of mathematics curricula. Review of Educational Research, 75(2), 211246.