Copyright© 2006 by School Services of California, Inc.

                                      Volume 19                   For Publication Date: December 1, 2006             No. 25

Ask SSC . . .

What Variables Should I Consider to Determine
Staffing in the Business Office? 

Q.                I am the new Chief Business Official in my district. My first impression of the business office is that it is rather lean on staff. What are some of the variables I should consider when determining if I have enough staff in my business office? 

A.                 There are many factors that contribute to the business office workload. Too often the only measurement used by those outside the fiscal realm is change in full-time equivalent students (FTES). With all of the recent changes affecting the fiscal arena, ranging from new state programs to successful local bond elections, FTES can play a smaller part in the total picture. Here are some of the factors to consider if you are trying to compare your district with others: 

1.                  Type of District—Is it a single or multi college, large or small?

2.                  Number of Sites—The number of school sites translates into the number of contacts from administrators and their support staff. This increases the number of interruptions to the workflow on both ends of the telephone/e-mail.

3.                  Geographical Size—The square miles that comprise the district can increase the quality time available for business personnel to work in the office.

4.                  Purchasing—If the district is on a districtwide computer purchasing system, fewer district office personnel should be needed than when the district is on a manual system that requires the school site to generate a paper requisition and “Pony Express” it to the district office so a purchase order can be typed.

5.                  Computer System—If the district is making changes to the financial system or attendance accounting system, additional staff may be required for the implementation and training period.

6.                  Construction/Modernization—While most business office personnel do not volunteer for the task of accounting for school construction, some business offices are handed this challenge to add to the “things to do in my spare time” pile. Some districts hire consultants, while others contract with construction management firms to augment district staff. Even so, there could be a need for additional staff assistance in this area.

7.                  Student Book Stores—Does the district office handle all of the student book store funds for campuses? While this improves control, it can also create an additional burden on the business office.

8.                  Availability of Qualified Applicant—It is becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified applicants for positions in the business office with private industry often paying more, resulting in fewer people considering school business as an attractive career option, and with the current Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) early retirement options.

9.                  Declining Enrollment—Is your district declining in enrollment? If this is the case, staffing at all levels will be affected and it may not be possible to fund additional positions at a time when reductions have been made or need to be made to balance the budget.

We realize we have not provided a standard formula for deciding how big the business office should be, but we wanted to provide an idea of some of the areas that we feel should be considered in your analysis of personnel needs. Remember . . . no two districts are identical. 

Workload considerations always affect how well people do their jobs. We have seen instances where districts missed out on big dollars because people did not have time to do the recordkeeping, research, analysis, and paperwork necessary to claim them. Don’t let that happen to you.

—Maureen Evans and John Gray