FAQ, School Improvement Funds
1. Bonus money for SAC officers - is this allowed?
2. Who determines how are SI funds are to be used?
3. Where do I find the State Statutes concerning SAC & SI Funds?
4. May SAC funds be used to put in a new portable to relieve classroom size?
5. Our SAC voted to expend funds for an item, now what?
6. Can a principal override the recommendations of the SAC for use of SI funds?
7. Does SAC need to spend all the SI funds on the SIP & how much is SAC allocated?
8. Can school improvement funds be "carried over"?
10. School Improvement Funds, accountability
1. Bonus money for SAC officers - is this allowed?
Answer: No. (Pretty simple answer!) However, there
are several counties, Hillsborough & Broward County, that both have allowed SI funds to be used for
stipends for the SAC officers. In Hillsborough it is not even
called stipends but some SAC chairs receive funds for their
expenses.
SEE: Memo Opinion from DOE General Counsel Ronald G. Stowers Regarding the use of bonus money to SAC which is clear that funds may NOT be spent on bonuses.
2. Who
determines how are SI funds (School Improvement Funds) are to be used?
Title IV Chapter 24 State Lotteries 24.121
Allocation of revenues and expenditure of funds for public
education.
5.(c) These moneys may be expended
only on programs or projects selected by the school advisory
council or by a parent advisory committee created pursuant to this
paragraph. and.... Each year the General Appropriations Act,
school enhancement funds is determined.
3. Where do I find the State Statutes concerning SAC
& School Improvement Funds?
This website will assist you with the statutes with links directly to the state site.
Click on "State Statutes" link on the top menu and then "$ Funding Statutes". There are several statutes pertaining to funds. Also see: Florida
State Legislation Online
4. May SI funds be used
to put in a new portable to relieve classroom
size?
No. 24.121
(5c) "These moneys may not be used for capital improvements, nor may
they be used for any project or program that has a duration of more
than 1 year; however, a school advisory council or parent advisory
committee may independently determine that a program or project
formerly funded under this paragraph should receive funds in a
subsequent year."
Capital Improvements:
http://www.fldoe.org/fefp/redtoc.asp
5. Our SAC voted to expend funds for an
item, now what?
Document the request and vote in the SAC minutes. Individual schools may have different processes - i.e. submitting approved minutes to bookkeeper, a memo submittal, or verbal from the principal. Many
schools have the SAC chair sign off on expenditures. Every SAC
must have minutes to the meetings, have meetings open to the public
and publicized. SACs are governed by the Sunshine Law which
requires minutes, open meetings and publicizing the meetings. More
information click here.
6. Can a principal override the recommendations of the SAC for use of School Improvement funds?
No.
24.121 "Funding for use by the School Advisory Councils should
be allocated directly to the School Advisory Councils, should be
clearly earmarked for their use and is not subject to override by
the Principal or interim approvals by school district staff. The
funds must be accounted for and subject to being audited on a yearly
basis."
7. Does SAC need to spend all the
SI funds on the SIP & how much is SAC allocated?
No - the law is clear that a portion of the funds be used. Most schools use all or most since the funds were created to help schools implement the Plans which were required by law.. Each year the Budget for Lottery Funds, (General Appropriations Act)
-
Education Enhancement "Lottery" Trust Fund - is created. Initially in the early years of SAC, the amount was $4 per student which was then gradually increased to
$10. 2009 it was reduced to $0. "If there are
funds remaining after payment to qualified schools, the balance shall be
allocated as discretionary lottery funds to all school districts based on each
district's K-12 base funding. From these funds, school districts shall
allocate up to $5 per unweighted student to be used at the discretion of the
school advisory council pursuant to section 24.121(5), Florida Statutes. If
funds are insufficient to provide $5 per student, the available funds shall be
prorated." (general appropriations 2018)
8. Can School Improvement Funds be carried over? Must we spend all the funds given in a year that year?
Yes, funds may be carried over from year to year. (There are NO laws contrary to this) But, there are two issues to consider. First, if we don't use those funds, it sends a message to legislators that schools don't need those funds since we are not spending it. Second, those funds are supposed to enhance education that year, so are the students getting full use of the funds to help them increase their level of skills academically? Sometimes funds do sit in the accounts and it APPEARS to be not spent, but in reality, the funds have been expended for a program or project that has yet to occur or be paid for.
9. I am still confused on spending SAC money... we were told that the money had to be spent on the goals that were for that year? For example if a goal is safety then the SAC can purchase items or hire people that would help the school be safer. Or if the goal is higher FCAT scores SAC could pay for rewards for those students who improved their FCAT scores? This is so difficult to figure out.
Each district must define what expenditures are allowed under 'enhancement dollars' which is where SAC dollars come from. State law says a PORTION of the funds must be spent on the school improvement plan - or the goals that you refer to. SAC determines how the funds are spent in support of student achievement.
Some schools do use the funds as a reward - for example - a pizza party for the class that scored the highest in FCAT reading scores...or for students most improved...or for good behavior. Every school has its problems and therefore, will need to spend its funds differently. An alternative school for 'bad behavior' type children MAY need to use the funds extensively to change the behavior (behavior modification type programs).
Safety MUST be part of every school's SIP so SAC must address safety. How you do that is up to your SAC. A middle school used a small portion ($200) for 'rewards' of lollypops and pencils for high school students wearing their ID's - the ID's are required and students were constantly forgetting them so using positive behavior modification DID work. Another school used the funds ($6000+) for security camera's - which took years to get all the cameras but was definitely worth it with double digit drops in student disruptions and theft.
Personally, my recommendation would be to ask some questions...
"How will this improve student achievement"
"How does this fit in with the current or future SIP"
"How many students are benefiting from the expenditure"
"How does the expenditure make our students and staff safer"
"Does this fit with the state education goals"
School Improvement Funds, accountability
I recommend a treasurer or designate a SAC member to give reports of SI funds expenditures... a running accountability of sorts. Here are some reasons:
Many times a request, for example, of $500 will be granted; yet end up costing $450. With the knowledge that $50 was saved, it could be used for a different expenditure which will help our students & teachers.
A request could be made, granted and then not used for months or ever. I recommend some sort of time frame to use the funds. Again, the funds could be used elsewhere in our school improvement process.
Try to spend all the funds allocated for the students that current school year. This is money for those students, not future or past students. Also, if $ are not spent and "rolled over"...this is a big message to legislators that we really don't need those funds! So, spend it, spend wisely, get the biggest bang for the $$ - help those students increase their knowledge!
Having accountability is important - we are in charge of public $ for a specific purpose - we should have accountiblity!
I also recommend using a specific format and process for teachers to
request funds. This is can keep the funds tied to school
improvement process. I created this form in Microsoft
Word format (you can modify/use this form for
your school) for SI requests. It has an added section that gives
SAC a feedback measurement on the success of the request. Did the
$ do as intended? As public servants we should have some sort of
measurement of actions - otherwise we keep doing what we are doing -
possibly without achieving our goals.
Please feel free to modify
or use this template - it is only
a suggestion and not a requirement (although
it should be in my opinion! Think of it as a great audit tool too
- a verification of a SAC working and using our resources!) I am
inviting suggestions or other formats - it is about sharing what works!