Types of Input Received for Budget Development

Based on the interview of our district's Superintendent and Business Manager, I learned that our Business Manager prepares a budget from requests that campus principals make.  The Superintendent and Business manager review the requests and look at past expenditures to see if the numbers are appropriate.  The Superintendent has insight as to what the board may want to include in the budget.  An example of something the board may want to include is raises.  The Superintendent and Business Manager try to work them into the budget.  The Superintendent and Business manager try not to present something that doesn't have board support and put them in the position of being the "bad guys."  The Superintendent and Business Manager also look at new initiatives that administrators may want to implement and see if there is funding for them.
The type of input that is received from Principals while developing the budget is in the form of budget worksheets that are given to all administrators.  The principals/administrators review the worksheets and make any changes they feel are necessary.  The principals get input from SBDM committees while reviewing the budget worksheets.  The District Improvement Committee, Teacher Organizations and community members have a minimum amount of input in the development of the budget.  The Board of Trustees has opportunity to review and make changes to the budget at budget workshops.  They also adopt the budget.  This is one of their major responsibilities.