Dear Principals,
We recently met with the State LAND Trust office to review findings from a recent audit review. Overall the district is doing very well and the report was complimentary of the great work you are doing with your School Community Councils and LAND Trust budgets. They also shared some recommendations based on best practices for you to consider implementing as you complete your 2023-24 LAND Trust Plans.
- Be specific in which area(s) you are targeting for each of your goals.
- State a measurable goal. Measurable goals need to include a number; such as raise scores 3%.
- When a goal involves paying for an employee in a specific subject area, the budget must pay for an employee within the subject the goal addresses.
- For example, if your plan includes hiring someone to help address a math goal, the LAND Trust budget must pay a math teacher or math assistant. It can be the lowest paid math teacher in your building, but it cannot pay for someone outside of the math area.
- If your goal is school-wide and you will be paying for a teacher, you can use your budget to pay for the least expensive teacher, but you must tie that teacher into the goal.
- For example, if you have a new PE teacher and want to pay them because they would cost less, you need to tie that teaching position into your goal and explain how they will support that specific goal.
- Mini-Grants – If your plan includes Mini Grants for teachers, your plan must include who is receiving the money and how it will support the goal. Consider the following two options:
- Have the teachers pre-apply (now) and then include the specific awarded mini grants into your plan.
- (Or) Once the mini grants come in and you have approved them, you will need to amend your plan to explain which grants were awarded and how they support that goal. The amendment must be approved by your AOS and the Board of Education.
- A main concern raised in the audit was regarding carryover amounts. To address these concerns please include a backup plan in case you are not able to purchase the equipment/supplies or hire the assistants/teachers you have put into your plan.
- In order to not have to do an amendment, use the “Funding Changes” portion of the plan.
- Consider putting language like, “If we are not able to hire (or purchase) as planned for goal #, we will… (insert plan here) to reach our goal”.
- Confirm that your 2023-24 plan does not show a carryover of more than 10% before you submit. It also may not show a negative balance.
- NEW FOR THIS YEAR! Districts are required to distribute their own signature pages. Signatures may be collected on paper or digitally and copies should be provided to LEA leadership prior to approving the School LAND Trust Plans. Send your signature pages to Nadine Page. A template is provided below. You can either use the hard copy and have SCC members sign at your meeting or make a copy of this Google Doc to use electronically.
- In an effort to not have more than 10% carryover, please review your current budget to be certain you are on track to spend your budget as intended.
- If you are on track to have a carryover of more than 10%, contact Nadine or your AOS to determine ways to spend and/or move money in a way that supports your plan.
