District with strong public support explores centralizing some operations for efficiency
Contact:
Angie Peterman
OASBO
503.931.7010
angie.peterman@comcast.net
Liesl Wendt
Chalkboard Project
503.542.4325
liesl@chalkboardproject.org
Eugene – Jan. 7, 2009 – The Oregon Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) today released its report on business practices in the Eugene 4J School District . In partnership with OASBO, the Chalkboard Project provided an $85,000 grant to conduct reviews of best business practices in five Oregon school districts.
“Eugene School Board has a tradition of allowing decisions at the local level, which builds strong parent, community and staff support while meeting the unique needs of each school,” said Angie Peterman, OASBO executive director and business review team leader. “It also has one of the strongest community-based planning processes we’ve seen, which has kept the district on top of demographic shifts such as its rapidly growing Hispanic population. As districts look at declining resources in tough economic times, centralizing more business functions will create more efficiency, a recommendation we’re making for Eugene.”
The review came at a pivotal time, according to Superintendent George Russell, who noted that Eugene has long used “site-based decision making” to allow staff autonomy.
“This process is ideal in meeting local student needs, but as we experience declining enrollment coupled with the state’s budget shortfall, we felt the urgency to review certain practices such as purchasing, technology and human resource management to learn if we could economize. Thanks to the Chalkboard grant and the review team that brought in experts with school business experience, we now have solid direction and have already started making changes.”
The final report, presented to the school board at its Jan. 7 meeting, included commendations as well as recommendations for improvement. Key findings from the review will be presented to the 2009 Legislature and a “data toolkit” will be created to share best practices discovered during a series of pilot reviews by a team assembled by OASBO and the Oregon School Boards
Association.
Eugene School Board’s “Shaping 4J’s Future” process is a stellar example of using surveys, facilitated focus groups and larger meetings to keep the district in tune with changing educational needs, best practices and community expectations and reviewers called it the most detailed and accountable set of goals the team had seen in Oregon school districts.
The key recommendation to Eugene 4J is a shift to centralization, “While we do not recommend abandoning the district’s site-based decision-making model, Eugene can increase efficiencies by centralizing some functions within its financial, purchasing, accounting, reporting and personnel areas,” Peterman said.
Chalkboard’s interest in reviewing business practices grew out of two research findings: an analysis of Oregon school spending that indicated statewide average spending on student support services is higher than the national average, and public opinion surveys showing nearly half of Oregonians believe schools can do more to operate efficiently. The Chalkboard Project provided an $85,000 grant to conduct reviews of best business practices in five Oregon school districts.
“The reviews are doing what we hoped: highlighting novel ways districts are delivering services and giving a spotlight to those practices as well as helping districts identify areas they could make changes to ensure every dollar possible is getting into the classroom,” said Sue Hildick, Chalkboard Project president.
“We’re looking forward to creating and sharing a major resource on best business practices,” said Peterman. “There isn’t a district in this state that doesn’t have creative, cost-effective practices to share – and every district so far has learned from ideas shared by the review team to save time and money, which puts more resources into the classroom. Working together – staff, board and review team – has been invaluable.”
To read the full review, click here: Best Business Practice Reviews
About OASBO:
The Oregon Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) is a professional organization affiliated with the Association of School Business Officials International. OASBO's mission is to support public education by providing resources, programs, activities and training for school business officials.
About OSBA:
The Oregon School Boards Association serves 197 Oregon school boards, 17 community colleges, and 20 education service districts by providing legislative advocacy for public education at state and federal levels; leadership training, legal and policy services, financial, insurance, human resources, communications and other services.
About Chalkboard Project:
Launched in early 2004, Chalkboard Project exists to inspire Oregonians to do what it takes to make the state’s K-12 public schools among the nation’s best, while strengthening our school system’s financial accountability to taxpayers. Chalkboard – an initiative of Foundations for a Better Oregon – is sponsored by a growing list of independent foundations. The founding five foundations are: The Collins Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, Jeld-Wen Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and The Oregon Community Foundation. For more information about Chalkboard and to learn how to get involved, call (877) YOUR-K12 or visit www.chalkboardproject.org.
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