Background

The annual operating budget shall reflect the Horizon School Division Board of Education’s goals and priorities as established by the Board and Director of Education annually. The vision, mission, guiding principles and goal statements as detailed in the Division’s strategic plan shall guide the establishment of these principles and guidelines.

In preparing the annual budget, the Director is responsible for ensuring that a process involving consultation with the Board, the Senior Leadership Team and all Division budget managers is undertaken. Every dollar of the operating and capital budgets shall be allocated to specific budget managers who are responsible for the effective control of expenditures within the budgetary limits established for their area of responsibility.

The Director shall establish the capital budget with a five-year planning approach for capital expenditures.

1.1.  The Director guides and supervises activities and personnel in the budget process and coordinates educational and financial planning.

1.2.  The standard revenue and expenditure classifications as prescribed by the Ministry of Education of the Government of Saskatchewan are to be used.

1.3.  The general expectations are that expenditures are not to exceed the amount budgeted in the major expenditure classifications.

1.3.1.  Monies from internally or externally restricted surplus are to be expended only for the purpose for which the restricted surplus was established.

1.3.2.  The Director may approve emergency expenditures up to an amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in excess of budget. Emergency expenditures in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) require Board approval on recommendation of the Director.

1.3.3.  The Director may approve change orders with a value up to 10% of the project cost or $100,000, whichever is less. Change orders in excess of that amount require Board approval on recommendation of the Director.

1.4.  The budget appropriation for each classification constitutes authorization for each budget manager to make expenditures for that item up to the amount budgeted.

1.5.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO, in consultation with the Director, is to initiate procedures to accomplish all planned undertakings and continuous monitoring of the budget.

1.6.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO is responsible for managing budget control and for the preparation of quarterly fiscal accountability reports through the Director of Education.

1.7.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO is responsible for overseeing the determination and management of capital and operating budgets, processing budget data, the development of the budget document and the preparation of the budget forpresentation to the Board through the Director of Education.

1.8.  Each budget manager is responsible for the determination and management of the assigned budget for their areas of responsibility.

2.1.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO will establish a calendar guideline for each budget year and propose the same for inclusion in the Board Annual Work Plan.

3.1.  The Director will present annual school-based budget appropriations to schools as part of the annual budget for approval by the Board.

3.2.  Principals, as assigned budget managers, are responsible for the effective control of expenditures within the budgetary limits established for their school.

3.3.  In consultation with each school principal, the annual school-based budget funding appropriations are to be structured to reflect the educational priorities of the Board and the needs of the particular school.

3.4. Principals may access real -time financial information on their school-based budgets atany time through the SGF Web Portal accessed at: https://sgf.horizonsd.ca/Login.aspx.

3.5.  In accordance with Administrative Procedure 501 – School-based Budgets and School Generated Funds, the carryover of surplus amounts in excess of 5% of the current school-based budget allocation or $5,000, whichever is greater, must be supported by a plan for its use that has been approved by the Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO and endorsed by School Staff and School Community Councils by November 30 of the current budget year.

4.1.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO will produce and maintain a five-year school facilities construction plan in accordance with Administrative Procedure AP-540 Facilities Planning. The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO will produce and maintain a five-year capital investment plan in respect to land improvements, school bus and other vehicle renewal as well as furniture and equipment and information technology investments.

4.2.  The five-year school facilities plan and five-year capital investment plan are to be integral parts of the annual budget process.

4.3.  The Director, in consultation with the Senior Leadership Team, is to recommend annually the five-year plan for Board approval. The plan is to include:

4.3.1.  Changes in educational programming and services;

4.3.2.  Projected population and enrolment shifts;

4.3.3.  Review of assets and borrowing capacity; and

4.3.4.  Setting of priorities.

5.1.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO shall include annually a budget allocation to finance the amortization of tangible capital assets.

5.2.  The Superintendent of Finance Services/CFO shall develop an annual plan to meet the cash expenditure requirements for capital investment purposes.

Reference: Section 2, 85,107, 309, 325, 348, 370 Education Act

Updated December 1, 2016
October 17, 2017