MSBO’s Certification Program Benefits:
• Providesaccesstoinformationneededtosucceedinyourjob
• Offerspracticaloverviewsofkeyareasoflaw,regulationsandpractices
• Identifiesresourcesforin-depthandadditionalinformationthatmaybeutilizedatalatertime
• AssuresaqualitycurriculumisdevelopedandmonitoredbytheMSBOProfessionalDevelopmentCommittee
• Usesexperiencedpractitionerstoteachclasses
• Offersseminarsatregularintervalsandreasonableprices
• Usesadultlearningprinciplesandprovidesalearningenvironmentwherecolleaguescanshareexperiencesandinformation
Gotowww.msbo.orgformoreinformationabouttheMSBOVoluntaryCertificationProgramforSchoolBusinessOfficials.
Questions?ContactCourtneyByamat517.327.5937orbye-mailatcbyam@msbo.org;or
Establishedin1998,theMSBOVoluntaryCertificationProgramsupportstheongoingprofessionaldevelopmentofschoolbusinessofficials.Theprogramisamarkofdistinctionthatreflectsprofessionalachievement
anddemonstratesaperson’sdedicationtohis/herprofession.
Benefits of Chief Financial Officer CertificationTheChiefFinancialOfficer(CFO)certification:
1.providesaccesstoinformationandtrainingthatisspecifictoMichiganlawandregulation;and
2.providesabasisforadvancingprofessionalismofChiefFinancialOfficersinMichiganschools.
The CFO ProgramMSBOcertificationcoursesprovideagreatdealofinformationinashorttime.Mostcoursesare“bulleted”informationratherthanin-depthtraining.Theyareintendedtocovermajorpointsabouttheirrespectivetopics,offeranopportunityforquestionsanddiscussion,andprovideresourceinformationforfutureuse.
TherecommendedbeginningcourseforChiefFinancialOfficercertificationisIntroduction to School Business.Althoughanyonemaybenefitfromthisorotherindividualcertificationcourses,thefullprogramisgenerallyintendedforChiefFinancialOfficersintheirfirst1-5yearsofemployment.However,anypersonemployedinschoolbusinessoperationswhomeetsthestatedrequirementsmayreceiveChiefFinancialOfficercertification.Thereisnorequirementforholdingaparticularpositioninaschooldistrict.
RequirementsThisprogramandthecourseslistedhavebeencreatedandreviewedbytheProfessionalDevelopmentCommitteeofMSBO.AnapplicantforcertificationmustbeanactiveorcontractassociatememberofMSBO,andholdaBachelor’sDegreeincluding18semesterhoursofaccounting.
ReadthereversesideofthissheetforbriefdescriptionsofcertificationcoursesthatareofferedthroughMSBO.InsomecircumstancescoursesfromothersourcesmaybecountedtowardMSBOcertification.Please be aware that some courses and/or requirements may change. MSBO and the committees that created this program continue to evaluate and make minor modifications as deemed appropriate.
ChiefFinancialOfficer
M S B OV o l u n t a r yC e r t i f i c a t i o nP r o g r a m
Bonding/Borrowing/Investing (3 hours):Examinelegalandpracticalissuesrelatingtohowschooldistrictsbond,borrow,andinvestfunds.Getanoverviewofcashflowanalysis,arbitrage,andgeneralborrowingandinvestingoptions.
Cash Management (3 hours):Learnhowtodevelopspecificationsfortheselectionofbankingandotherfinancialservices;applyconceptofcompensatingbalances;comprehendproceduresandlegalconstraintsforcashcollectionanddisbursement;analyzemonthlyinternaltransfersandloans;prepareacashflowanalysis,includingafundbalancereportfortheboardofeducation;andidentifyanddealwithfraudandabuse.
Collective Bargaining Agreement, Contracts (3 hours):Learnhowtointerpretbargainingagreementlanguage,understandleavebenefits,grievanceprocedures,aswellasanoverviewofunionduesandpoliticaldeductionsandnon-deductions.Learnhowtoadministerovertime,FMLA,andFLSA.Alsogainknowledgeofthedifferencebetweenanindependentcontractorvs.anemployee.
Effective Communications (3 hours):Learntechniquesandstrategiestosendclearmessages,createcredibility,anddevelopstrategiccommunicationsprogramsthatareeffectiveforyourschooldistrict.
Facilities for the Business Manager (3 hours):Understandthebasicstructureandfunctionofbuilding,groundsandmaintenanceoperationsaswellastheplanningofmaintenanceprograms.Learnaboutlawsrelatingtoschoolconstruction,environmentalregulations,andwhattoexpectfromyourfacilitiesdirector.
Food Services for the Business Manager (3 hours):Thebasicstructureandfunctionofafoodservicesprogram,foodsafetyissues,vendingandcontractingforfoodservices,andcooperativeventures.
Human Resources for the Business Manager (3 hours):Understandthebasicconceptofhiring,recruitingandinterviewing.Learntechniquesandbestpracticesthatyoucanapplytoemployeeorientations.Learnabouttheimportanceofmaintainingpersonnelrecordstoprotectboththeemployeeandemployerintheeventofpersonnelfileinformationrequests.Employeehandbooksandacceptableusepolicieswillbecovered,aswellasdetailsontheFreedomofInformation(FOIA),FamilyMedicalLeaveAct(FMLA),andFairLaborStandardsAct(FSLA).
Instructional Program Evaluation (3 hours):Understandthecomponentsofinstructionalprograms;learnhowtodevelopproceduresforevaluatingandreportingcost-effectiveness;analyzeeconomics;useevaluationdata;andallocateresourcestoimproveinstructionalprograms.
Insurance and Risk Management (3 hours):Reviewoftheinsurancesnecessaryforschooloperationswithaprimaryfocuson:Worker’sCompensation,cafeteriaplans,property/casualty,healthinsurance,liabilityinsurance,
errorsandomissions,andmethodsofriskmanagement.Aportionoftheprogramwouldbedevotedtounderstandingoptionsforpurchasinginsurance:pools,cooperatives,privatevendors,andself-insurance.
Introduction to School Business (14 hours):Anoverviewofschoolbusinessoperationswithafocusonseveralkeyareas.TheprogramwillbeginwithabriefbackgroundonthegeneralfunctionsoftheschoolChiefFinancialOfficer(CFO).Majorcomponentsoftheprogramwillinclude:listinganddescribingreportsthatmustbefiledwithfederal,state,andlocalagencies;reviewingschoollawsandtheRevisedSchoolCode;introducingfundaccountingprocesses;reviewingschoolorganizationalissuesandoperationalissues(howschoolboardsandadministratorsfunction);andexploringinter-relationshipsbetweenthebusinessofficeandsiteoperations–officesinschoolbuildings,facilities,transportation,andfoodservices.Partoftheprogramwouldbedevotedtodiscussionabouttherolesandfunctionsoftheschoolbusinessofficial.
Labor Relations/Employment Law (6 hours):Understandthemajorstateandfederalemploymentlawsthatapplytopublicschools.Learnaboutcollectivebargaining,wageandhour,discrimination,COBRA,FamilyMedicalLeaveActandotherstateandfederalretirementissues.
Payroll and Related Personnel Issues (3 hours):Understandthelawsandregulationsrelatedtopayrollfunction,includingstateandfederalpayrolllawsandregulations,pertinenttaxregulations,employeeretirementplans,practicalaspectsofcompletingapayroll,andelectroniccheckdeposits.
Preparing Your Financial Picture (12 hours)(formerly Revenue, Expenditures, and Budgeting Part I and II):Achieffinancialofficer’spredominantjobfocusispreparing,managing,andexecutingaschooldistrict’sbudget.Understandtheapplicationofenrollmentprojections,budgetassumptionsindevelopingabudgetaswellasmajorrevenuesandexpensesthatcompriseaschoolbudget.Learnpracticalwaystoamendbudgets,presentationofbudgetstostaff,theboardofeducation,andcommunity.Groupworkwillfocusonbuildingabudget,sharingdetails,andsimulatingboardandcommunitypresentationsofabudget.Detailsofaschooldistrict’syearlyauditprocesswillalsobehighlighted.
Principles of Education (3 hours):Understandtheeducationalprocess,cultureofschools,majorlearningtheories,teachingmethodologies,schoolimprovement,designofin-serviceprograms,andthestructureandfunctionoftheprincipalship.
Property Tax Overview (6 hours):Withtheeverchangingenvironmentofpropertytaxlaws,rulesandregulations,doyouhavethelatestinformation?Learnthebasicsofhowpropertytaxesaffectyourdistrictsfunding,aswellasamoreadvancedlookatspecifictaxandothertaxfinancingmethods.Formsusedforlevyingyourdistrictmillages,howthelevy
impactstheStateAidcalculationanddetailsonhowtoreconcileyouroveralltaxrevenuesispartofthisworkshop.PresentersincludepropertytaxexpertsandschoolpractitionersandcontentisgearedforbothK-12andISDs.
Purchasing Overview (3 hours):Learnthebasicsofperformingpurchasingfunctions,includingrelatedMichiganlaws,thestructureofapurchasingoperation,electronicandcooperativepurchasing,bidding,reviewingcontracts,lease-purchaseoptions,and“partnerships.”
Strategic Planning (3 hours):Astrategicplanhelpsadistrictachieveitsmissionandgoals.Learntoidentifyshort-andlong-termgoalsinallareasofschooldistrictmanagement.Explorethedevelopmentofstrategic,financialgoalsbyexaminingcurrentresearch,bestpractices,anddatasets.Also,learnhowtocreateabudgettomeetthesegoals.Learnhowtofacilitatethestrategicplanningprocessandassistintheimplementation,monitoring,reporting,evaluation,andrevisionofastrategicplan.
Team Leadership (3 hours):Learnhowtomatchyourleadershipstylewiththecultureoftheorganization.Matchingleadershipstyletotheculturallandscapewillallowyoutoincreaseyourproductivity,decreasecommunicationproblemsandstrengthenyourconflictmanagementskills.
Technology for the Business Manager (3 hours):Learnhowtodeveloplong-rangetechnologyplanning,whileassigningappropriatespecificationsfortechnologypurchasing.Othertopicsinclude:technologyinfrastructurecontractingfortheschooldistrict,evaluatingthecostbenefitsofproducinginformationinrelationtoorganizationalvalue,andensuringthatappropriatesecurityismaintained.
Transportation for the Business Manager (3 hours):Thebasicstructureandfunctionofatransportationdepartment,equipmentsupplyandpurchase,andlawsrelatedtotransportation.
Wrap-up/Ethics (2 hours):Celebratecompletionofyourcertificationprogram!Reflectonwhatyouhavelearnedandyourroleintheeducationalprocessandyourschooldistrict.Thisclasscanbetakenonlyifyouaretwoclassesorlessfromcompletingyourcertification(notcountingtheWrap-Up/EthicsSession).
Total class time is 88 hours.Continuing Education hours are 138 hours plus one Group Solutions or
Leadership Institute and one Financial Statement Preparation for a total of
150 hours within a five-calendar-year period.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Course Descriptions
Updated 6/12/19
Recommended
