Planning the budget document shall be a continuous process and shall involve long‑term thought, study, and deliberation by the Superintendent of schools, the Board, the administrative staff, the faculty, and the citizens of the school district.
Planning shall be done in three major phases:
Prior to certification of the budget, the Board will review the projected revenues and expenditures for the school district and make adjustments where necessary to carry out the education program within the revenues projected.
A budget for the school district shall be prepared annually for the Board's review. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to prepare the budget for review by the Board prior to the April 15 deadline each year.
The budget shall include the following:
Prior to the adoption of the proposed budget by the Board, the public shall be apprised of the proposed budget and shall have an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed budget. A public hearing for the proposed budget of the Board shall be held each year in sufficient time to file the adopted budget no later than April 15.
The proposed budget filed by the board with the Board secretary and the time and place for the public hearing on the proposed budget shall be published in a newspaper designated for official publication in the school district. It shall be the responsibility of the board secretary to publish the proposed budget and public hearing information at least ten days prior to the public hearing.
The Board shall adopt and certify a budget for the operation of the school district to the county auditor by April 15. It shall be the responsibility of the Board secretary to file the adopted and certified budget with the county auditor and the Department of Management.
The Board may amend the budget for the fiscal year in the event of unforeseen circumstances. The amendment procedures shall follow the procedures for public review and adoption of the original budget by the Board outlined in these policies.
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Revised: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The preparation of the formal budget shall be the responsibility of the superintendent of schools. At its regular meeting in March, the Superintendent/designee shall present to the board a preliminary projection of the needs of the school district for the ensuing fiscal year. A complete budget shall be prepared by the Superintendent and presented to the Board for certification at the board’s regular meeting in April, but not later than April 15.
*Revised: 12/13/99
*Revised: 06/17/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The budget document must include the following information:
The budget document shall also contain a brief explanatory section to show any program changes for the ensuing year that may be responsible for changes in expenditures.
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Reviewed: 12/13/10
*Revised: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The Board shall adopt, for publication, an approved budget* for the ensuring fiscal year.
The approved budget must be published in the legal newspaper of the school district, together with the time and place established for public review of the budget.
*Note: This refers to the certified budget, not to the line item budget.
*Revised: 09/16/91
*Reviewed: 12/13/99
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Revised: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The Board shall establish and publish the time and place for public review of the budget document. This public hearing shall be held in sufficient time to file the adopted budget no later than April 15th of each year.
The verified proof of the publication of such notice, together with the certified budget, shall be filed in the office of the county auditor and preserved by that office. No levy shall be valid unless and until such notice is published and filed.
*Revised: 12/13/99
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Revised: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The Board shall, after the public budget hearing, adopt the final budget for the ensuing fiscal year and certify it to the county auditor.
The final budget shall be certified by the president of the board in duplicate to the county auditor no later than April 15 of each year, on forms prescribed by the state.
*Revised: 12/13/99
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Revised: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The final certified budget shall be considered the authority for all expenditures to be made during the fiscal year.
Any expenditure to be made that exceeds the final certified budget shall be made only in accordance with procedures specified under Iowa law. These procedures permit the expenditure of closing cash balances of the preceding fiscal year and the expenditure of unanticipated income from sources other than taxation during a fiscal year by amending the budget. The Board, upon approving an amended budget, shall file and publish it and give notice of a public hearing within twenty (20) days after approving an amended budget.
*Revised: 06/17/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
The Board of this school district adopts as its system of financial accounting the Uniform Financial Accounting for Iowa School Districts and Area Education Agencies.
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19
Revenues and expenditures of the school district shall be properly classified in the accounting system. The general fund, special revenues, proprietary and fiduciary funds may be composed of several sub-accounts at the discretion of the Superintendent or Board secretary.
*Revised: 06/17/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Reviewed: 12/13/10
*Revised: 12/08/14
*Reviewed: 12/09/19