FILE:  DC

Cf:  DCB, DCD, DCE, DIB

ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET

The Lafayette Parish School Board shall approve an annual budget for the general fund and each special revenue fund for the fiscal year July 1 to June 30, no later than September 15th of each year.  The School Board shall submit a copy of its adopted budget to the State Superintendent no later than September 30th of each year, as well as a general summary of the adopted budget.  The summary shall include projected revenues, expenditures, and beginning and ending fund balances.

It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent and designated members of his/her staff to prepare the operating budgets for submission to the School Board.  The budgets shall be prepared on forms in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by statutes and by the State Superintendent of Education.  Said budgets shall be submitted to the School Board for the purposes of revision and approval prior to submission to the State Superintendent.

After the School Board has reviewed the proposed budget and made desired changes, if any, the School Board shall cause to be published a notice in the official journal stating that the proposed budget is available for public inspection.  The notice shall also state that a public hearing on the proposed budget shall be held specifying the date, time and place of the hearing.  The proposed budget shall not be considered for adoption or otherwise finalized until at least one public hearing has been conducted on the proposal.

The School Board shall certify completion of all action required by publishing a notice in the same manner as provided above.

No budget shall be approved where expenditures exceed the expected means of financing.  With exception of salary and benefits line items (of positions previously approved by the Board), no items of expense may be incurred through the fiscal year except as provided for in the approved budget unless a revision is adopted by the School Board.  An exception to this requirement will be allowed to address matters of great urgency and will require written authorization by the Superintendent and Board President.  The budget shall be reviewed periodically and such financial reports as the School Board directs shall be prepared and presented to the School Board by the Superintendent.

DAILY OPERATIONS

The adoption of the original budget and the adoption of all subsequent amendments by the School Board constitute the authority of the Superintendent or his/her designee and administrators of the School Board to incur liabilities and authorize expenditures from the respective budgeted funds during the fiscal year.  The Superintendent and the Business Manager shall have the authority to enter into routine and necessary contracts or agreements to carry out the general business operations of the School Board.

ASSURANCE OF EQUITABLE FUNDING

The Lafayette Parish School Board shall provide funding for education through local, state and federal sources and shall use funds for the benefit of all students in the district, in compliance with all regulations by state and federal agencies granting such funds.  The School Board shall allocate such funds equitably and in the interest of all of the Lafayette Parish Public School students.  This ensures equivalence among schools in the provision of curricular materials and instructional supplies.  It is the policy of the Lafayette Parish School Board that it maintains an equitable and fair equivalence among the schools in the allotment of teachers, administrators, and auxiliary personnel.

CONTINGENCY FUNDS

Each of the various funds which comprise the total budget of the Lafayette Parish School Board shall contain a budgetary item for funding unforeseen and unpredictable events which may occur each year.  Expenditures from this line item shall be authorized by the Superintendent and/or his/her designee.

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:88, 17:89, 39:1301, 39:1302, 39:1303, 39:1304, 39:1305, 39:1306, 39:1307, 39:1308, 39:1309, 39:1310, 39:1311, 39:1312, 39:1313, 39:1314, 39:1315

Board minutes, 10-6-93, 3-18-98, 10-7-15

Lafayette Parish School Board