Chapter 1
Strategic Leadership
Course: School Leaders Licensure Assessment 6990
Subject: School Leaders Licensure Assessment 6990
Chapter: Organizational Leadership
A school leader
1. Knows how to allocate funds based on student needs within the framework of local, state, and federal regulations
a. Develops and monitors a collaborative budget process
- Establishes a published budget calendar (needs assessment → draft priorities → stakeholder review → board submission → mid-year amendment) with owners for each step (principal, bookkeeper, ILT chair, Title coordinator).
- Runs a schoolwide needs assessment using disaggregated data (achievement and growth by subgroup, chronic absenteeism, discipline disproportionality, SPED/EL caseloads, class size, device ratios, counselor ratios).
- Aligns every line item to a SIP goal and funding source (general, activity, Title I/II/III/IV, IDEA, e-rate, grants); tags lines with an expected student impact metric (e.g., “increase Gr3 reading proficiency +8%”).
- Uses zero-based or needs-based budgeting: each request requires (1) problem statement, (2) evidence, (3) option analysis, (4) cost, (5) equity impact, (6) progress measure, (7) exit criteria.
- Holds two public budget forums (staff/family) with translated materials; publishes “You said / We did” summary showing how feedback changed allocations.
- Monitors monthly with an encumbrance log and variance report; flags >5% variances for action; performs mid-year reallocation to the highest-yield interventions.
- Artifacts: budget narrative crosswalk to SIP, stakeholder sign-in sheets, allocation dashboards, carryover plan, grant time/effort records.