Budget

The purpose of budget development is to estimate the funds required to operate the school division's educational and support programs for the coming year. This activity provides the school division with a budget development process independent of the Board of County Supervisors. Budget development includes the formulation and distribution of individual school and department budget preparation materials and the synthesis of these into the school division's proposed budget. Following adjustments by the School Board, an advertised budget is prepared and forwarded to the appropriating body, the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, who may further adjust the budget amounts. After finalization by the Board of County Supervisors and the School Board, an approved School Board budget document is published for the fiscal year. Copies of the approved School Board budget are available from the Budget Updates webpage.

Key roles include:

• Prepare school and central office budget preparation materials;
• Provide budget preparation assistance to all budget holders;
• Prepare, publish, and distribute budget documents and information as required by Virginia School Law § 22.1-92;
• Assess and update budgetary processes;
• Assist in the development of performance measures for central office budget holders;
• Prepare and forward School Board agenda items; and
• Prepare and forward the Board of County Supervisors agenda items.

Budget management is the overall management of school division funds and expenditures. It ensures appropriate administration of public funds for schools, prohibits over-expenditure of appropriated funds (Virginia School Law § 22.1-91), and reconciles budget transactions with the county government's finance department. Budget management includes assisting all school and central office budget holders and their staff in administering and controlling their individual budgets, formulation of and compliance with appropriate budgetary principles and procedures, preparation of documents relative to the school division's budget, and maintenance of the accounting system database. The Budget Department is also responsible for the administration of the school division's debt service fund.

Key roles include:

• Provide budget management assistance to school and central office budget holders;
• Administer all budget transfers;
• Monitor all school and central office budgets;
• Monitor position control;
• Prepare and maintain online financial reports to all budget holders;
• Prepare school division tuition rates;
• Maintain chart of accounts in the accounting system database; and
• Coordinate new budget technologies.

Budget analysis includes the compilation of budget, revenue, and expenditure data and the preparation of various documents pertaining to this budgetary information. Budget analysis permits the dissemination of financial information for School Board and administrative decision-making, state reporting requirements, various data-gathering agencies, and citizen information.

Key roles include:

• Prepare numerous budget and expenditure surveys for various data-gathering agencies (Virginia Department of Education, Educational Research Services, Washington Area Board of Education, etc.); and
• Prepare special reports and analyses per request on budget, revenue, and expenditure data for customers.