School Money Matters: A Handbook for Principals

Even the best educational leaders can be unprepared for the responsibility of spending and accounting for the thousands of dollars that pass through a school's books each year. Without a solid understanding of school financial management, administrators may find it a serious distraction from their primary pedagogical mission. They also risk damage to their careers and to the reputations of their schools.

School Money Matters is a concise, practical desk reference, based on sound accounting principles and written specifically for professionals at the school level. It includes understandable guidance on the following critical topics:
* Admission Tickets
* Audits
* Bank Reconciliation
* Bookkeeping Basics
* School Credit/Purchasing Cards
* Employee Embezzlement
* Encumbrance of Funds
* Field Trips
* Fund-Raising Events
* Gifts to Students or Staff
* Online Purchasing and Electronic Banking Transfers
* Parent Organizations
* Petty Cash
* Raffles
* Staff Reimbursement
* The School Budget
* The School Store
* Transfers and Adjustments
* Vending Services

Featuring a comprehensive glossary of school financial management terms, graphic organizers to clarify complex accounting concepts, and a checklist for monitoring financial activities throughout the year, this book provides the information principals need to safeguard school funds and protect themselves--and their staffs--from the suspicion of theft or laxness. It also comes with a CD-ROM of downloadable financial forms that principals can use and disseminate in their own schools.

Davida W. Mutter is a consultant and the former Assistant Superintendent for Budget and Finance for Chesapeake (Va.) Public Schools. Pam J. Parker is a certified public accountant, a certified internal auditor, and the former Chief Internal Auditor for Chesapeake Public Schools.