School Finance and Management – EDAS 648
CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/05/2023
Course Description
Basic methods of school finance and business management and principles of plant, finance, budgeting and accounting will be discussed. Federal and State regulations and grants will be studied.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
Financial and managerial leadership of a school building or district is a primary factor in the success or failure of school instructional programs. This course provides an opportunity for public and private school practicing and prospective administrators to gain an understanding of their role in these critical areas. A comprehensive understanding of the financial implications of systemic reform, centralized goal setting, accountability standards, and decentralized forms of site-based management, school choice, charter schools, and the voucher system will be the main focus of this study.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.
Discussions (4)
Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate will participate in 4 Discussions. Each Discussion will be completed over the course of two weeks. The candidate is required to write a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be at least 300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. Each thread must contain at least 1 scholarly citation in current APA format. Acceptable sources include the textbook, the Bible, or other scholarly resources. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 150 words. Each reply must contain at least 1 scholarly citation in current APA format. Acceptable sources include the textbook, the Bible, or other scholarly resources. (CLO: A, C, D, E, F, H)
Practicum Requirements
Practicum Proposal Form: The candidate is required to complete 30 practicum hours in a school in order to pass this course. (CLO: C, E, F)
Field Experience Summary (FES): The candidate will complete the provided form and include relevant information from the practicum. This assignment is required in order to pass the course. (CLO: C, E, F)
Field Experience Assessment (FEA): The candidate’s onsite mentor will complete the FEA online. The mentor will receive an e-mail from Liberty with a link, username, and password to access the FEA. This assignment is required in order to pass the course. (CLO: C, E, F)
Program Financial Review
Financial Needs Assessment
The candidate will select a school and analyze a minimum of three of its financial processes and operations. Three financial needs of the school will be identified and critically analyzed and ranked in order of importance. A minimum word count of 1,000 words is required. This assignment will initially be submitted in the course but will be submitted again at the end of the course in LiveText after revisions have been made. (CLO: A, B, D, E, F, G)
Budget Review
The candidate will conduct a detailed budget review for the top priority financial need identified in the Program Financial Review: Financial Needs Assessment. A collaboration with at least three other stakeholders is required as part of the candidate's analysis. A PowerPoint presentation will be prepared to convey the results. This assignment will initially be submitted in Blackboard but will be submitted again at the end of the course in LiveText after revisions have been made. (CLO: A, B, D, E, F, G)
Leading Financial Goal-Setting
The candidate will create a SMART goal based on the findings in the Program Financial Review: Budget Review assignment. A summary of how the candidate modeled distributed leadership skills within the collaborative efforts of the budget review process will also be provided. This assignment must meet the minimum 750-word requirement. This assignment will initially be submitted in the course but will be submitted again at the end of the course in LiveText after revisions have been made. (CLO: A, B, D, E, F, G)
Resource Management Plan
Based on the previous analysis of the school program's budget and financial status, the resources needed for a selected program will be projected. The candidate will develop a multi-year fiscal plan and annual program budget that is aligned to the school's priorities and goals. A minimum of 750 words is required. This assignment will initially be submitted in the course but will be submitted again at the end of the course in LiveText after revisions have been made. (CLO: A, B, D, E, F, G)
Financial Accountability Plan
The candidate will consult their school's or state's financial accountability protocols when designing a comprehensive system for regularly monitoring, evaluating, and revising finances. The candidate will ensure the infrastructure they recommend will yield equitable practices for every student's academic and social success. A minimum of 750 words is required. This assignment will initially be submitted in the course but will be submitted again at the end of the course in LiveText after revisions have been made. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)
Final Submission
Refer to directions and rubric in LiveText. The individual parts of this assignment will be submitted in the course throughout the previous modules. Revisions may be made before all the parts are submitted together in LiveText at the end of the course. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)
Case Studies
The candidate will access each Case Study by a link and code that will be provided by the instructor. Each Case Study must be at least 1,000 words. (CLO: A, B, D, E, F, G)
Quizzes (7)
Each quiz will cover the Learn material for each module. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 15–30 multiple-choice and true/false questions, and have a time limit of 2 hours. (CLO: A, B, D, E, F, G)
