General Sessions

8 a.m.

The 2012 Legislative Session: Is That All There Is? 
Join KASA’s Wayne Young for a review of the legislative developments to date during the 2012 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, with a focus on budget issues and other significant
P-12 education bills.

8:30 a.m.

Latest News on the Approved NCLB Waiver
Led by Ken Draut of the KY Department of Education, this session will provide an overview of the federally approved NCLB waiver Kentucky received on February 9, 2012.  The focus will be on the accountability system and the timelines. 

9 a.m.

ESEA Slooowly moves and the funding picture is unclear to grim.  But wait things might turn out OK.
Bruce will review the two approaches to reauthorization of ESEA that have made it far enough though the process to be seriously considered. Most Washington hands think there is no way ESEA gets done this year.  But Bruce is an incurable optimist.   At the same time the failure of the Congressional Super Committee to deal with the deficit makes an eight or nine percent cut in the middle of next school year a real possibility.  Can we get ESEA done finally (five years late) and dodge the deep funding cut?  By March 15 this ought to be clearer and if not we can explore the possibilities.

Concurrent Session 1

10 a.m.-
12 p.m.

SEEK, A Deeper Analysis
Dr. Tom Shelton, Fayette Co.’s school superintendent, will provide an in-depth look at district level SEEK calculations. This session is designed for superintendents and finance officers with 0-3 years experience. Session concludes with Q&A.  Laptops needed for this session.

10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Teacher & Principal Evaluations: The Shape of Things to Come
“…teacher quality matters, and it matters a great deal.  If we are committed to this premise, then we must be committed to populating our schools with the highest quality teachers [and administrators] possible.”
Stronge, Gareis, & Little (2006)
     Participants in this session will interact with the Teacher Professional Growth and Effectiveness System framework to understand its design, implementation protocols, and impact on building-level and district resources.  While 54 districts field test the system between now and the end of the 2013 school year, every district will benefit from having an understanding of the coming shifts in paradigm and process, and from beginning to think about and plan for implications for fiscal distribution of resources.  Join Earl Hughes of KASA’s Leadership Academy for an update on this exciting new program.

10 a.m.-
12 p.m.

Pain Management Clinic Open
The PSST Pain Management Clinic will be open where your data pains can be reviewed, analyzed and diagnosed, resulting in an accurate prescription. 

11 a.m.

Making MUNIS & Related Data Meaningful, Effective and Easy to Understand
Administrators will learn how to navigate MUNIS and beyond with tools to retrieve data for effective decision-making. The new MUNIS Dashboard, MUNIS Central programs, PSST Seamless Data Portal, Aesop and other sources will be reviewed, presented and discussed, inviting attendee input. 
     The new KASA/PSST district-to-district comparison application will be previewed and discussed. Bring your data and integration questions for open discussion.   

General Sessions

8 a.m.

School Budgeting in Hard Times: Confronting Cutbacks and Critics
It used to be that the superintendent and business manager would put their heads together, develop a budget, and present it to the board for approval. Today, an entirely new approach to budgeting is required, one that supports data-driven collaborative decision-making. There are too many needs and too few resources to budget effectively any other way. Program priorities must be set, and system stakeholders must help allocate resources with accountability for results.
     The purpose of the performance- based (also called curriculum-driven) budgeting workshop and process is to help participants learn how to use quality improvement and participatory decision-making to develop an efficient, but productive budget. Using curriculum needs and requirements, participants learn how to design and build budgets that are results- and performance-focused, and how to apply quality improvement strategies, even with limited resources.
     This workshop, led by Dr. William Poston, Jr., helps show board members, administrators, teachers, parents and others how to make critical decisions that trim the budget without sacrificing quality of the educational system. The workshop shows how to increase involvement, how to decrease conflict, and how to balance resources with expanding expectations.

Concurrent Session 1

9:05 a.m.

Building Tangible Connections with Value Based Budgeting
The purpose of this workshop is to introduce participants to innovative ways to reduce or contain the budget without damaging the educational mission, to develop performance-based budgeting techniques that improve quality, implement procedures to ensure the budget is driven by educational needs and strategic planning, to learn how to anticipate unforeseen consequences of budget reductions, and to understand ways to maximize productivity in hard times.

Fraud Detection & Effective Activity Fund Management
Join Ron Flannery of White & Associates, the state’s leading expert on district and school activity fund management for information you need as an administrator to effectively review and manage your school activity fund accounts and identify Red Flags that are typically associated with fraud at the activity fund level.  

Working with your Board and Finances:  Work Sessions, Collaboration and Transparency
This session is intended for new superintendents and will focus on delivering and discussing budgeting and other finance issues with your school board members.  We will discuss how to work with board members who have limited understanding of school finance in open meetings and still maintain confidence that your community school funds are in good hands.
     Join Dr. Chuck Hamilton, Marion Co. superintendent, for an engaging session filled with examples of how and what to discuss in open meetings to maintain transparency, while promoting good financial conversation and fiscal decisions.

Concurrent Session 2

10:20 a.m.

Tight vs. Loose Management: Addressing and Using Priorities in Times of Scarcity
This workshop shows ways of increasing revenues and expanding resources despite economic austerity, introduces budget request activities and forms that enhance educational priorities, shows why central office reductions and program cutbacks have unanticipated repercussions, illustrates new strategies for communicating with employees, parents and the community about funding, and illustrates strategies that foster collaboration.

Federal Program Compliance & Management (OMB Circular A-133 Compliance)
A training program for district administrators that gives detailed instruction and guidance on compliance requirements and internal controls related to district federal grant monies.  This program specifically follows the guidance of the “OMB Circular Compliance Supplement.  Examples of grant award notifications, compliance matrix, a compliance supplement, and a list of helpful websites are all part of this session, along with follow-up activities once back in the district such as reviewing directors’ budgets and purchases and implementing internal controls. 
Presented by Pamela Gray, White & Associates