Leonardo Ramos
Management course
Tier 1
Dr. Patterson
Budget interview
In order to have a better understanding about a school’s budget, I interviewed my
principal, Dr. Damita Myers-Miller. She gave me a lot of information, especially when it comes
to the process of allocating the categorical budgets. Our school receives money from Title I,
EIA/SCE, and SLIBG. The state sends the school a projected categorical budget allocation
according to the school’s numbers with regards to each category. In our school, our principal
allows for the staff to have a direct impact on how the categorical funds are allocated. She
decided to create a team open to all staff members to discuss and plan how to effectively use the
funds to help increase student achievement. She wanted our staff to analyze the effectiveness of
our site’s interventions and its direct correlation to increased student achievement outcomes for
all students whom Lafayette serves. The team of staff members is asked to examine the
characteristics of High Performing Schools, and then analyze our own school’s vision and
mission as compared to those schools. She provides extensive reading material to help the staff
come up with a good budget plan for the funds. In one of the meetings she provided different
articles on RTI and lead a discussion to help examine our own Response to Intervention Plan and
how it aligns with the plans of high performing schools. In another meeting she showed data to
see how our site’s current 3-Tiered intervention systems are aligned with high performing
schools. Each meeting had an open forum and all staff was welcomed to attend so that they can
provide their input on the manner. The next step was for the Team to come up with Categorical
Budget Recommendations to best help our school. There were a series of meetings to finalize
the recommendations and the notes from each meeting were forwarded to the entire staff so that
they were aware of what was going on and could provide feedback if necessary. I really think
this is a very good way to develop a budget in a school, especially because everything was out in
the open and everyone was aware of how the money was spent. It really gave a sense that the
staff was important and that our opinions matter.
Based on the different meetings our school developed a good plan on how to effectively
use the funds that we are allocated. One new area that was suggested will be a Book study club
that will allow teachers to deepen knowledge of one content area through book study and
discussion of best practices with cross grade colleagues, and in other content areas through
collaboration days and professional development. This book study club will be allocated 3,000
dollars of the categorical funds. The school will also allocate $20, 000 for Classroom Libraries
and books for Units of Study. The goal is to purchase books at multiple reading levels to
enhance current classroom libraries. Each classroom will be equipped with units of study
literature. The school allocated 30,000 dollars to professional development and collaboration
which was close to the amount spent the previous year. The staff also decided to allocate
$85,000 for a specialist/coach that will support with instructional practices in classrooms,
professional development, and other duties as assigned.
I also asked about the school’s general budget. Dr. Miller mentioned how a lot of the
money is already allocated even before the school has it. It is received based on the general
enrollment of the school. Instructional materials, textbooks and supplies have to be purchased
for the school and this is a major part of the budget. Dr. Miller expressed a huge emphasis on
being very familiar with the school’s budget and allocated money. She advised me as a future
administrator to always be very familiar with the budget and never be afraid to ask for help from
the staff when it comes to making decisions for the school but the final decision should be based
on making sure the money is used to provide the best possible outcome for the students. Dr.
Miller firmly believes that having the budget open to the staff helps a great deal on having the
staff become more involved and feel like they have a significant voice in the place where they
spent so much of their time. She believes as an administrator she has to ultimately be in charge
on making the decisions but it is a lot easier to do if she has the support and input of her staff.
I feel like this interview was very valuable and it helped give me a lot of information on a
subject that I was not too familiar with. As I look forward to becoming an administrator, one
area that I have never really given much thought to was the budget. I think that especially as a
new administrator I will have to really study and learn about the school’s individual budget and
get feedback from the staff as to how to best utilize the funds that we have. I realize that a lot of
the money is already allocated but I also have to be extremely careful with the funds so that they
can be utilized in the most effective manner.