Superintendent and the CFO

Building a strong relationship with the CFO is essential for superintendents seeking to build sustainable educational programs for all students. Benzel and Hoover use their CFO and superintendent experience to identify what future leaders in both roles need to know and be able to do with respect to fiscal leadership and improved student learning.

This book examines how a focus on student achievement must be central to fiscal planning. The authors discuss the role values play in forming the leadership team, how to create a climate for success through collaborative strategies. They also examine ways to build systems strength to cope with uncertainty in fiscal planning.

Using this leadership base, they outline the key management elements that must be in place to assure sound fiscal practices that monitor fiscal status and manage cash flow to mitigate uncertainty. Benchmarks for organizational success enhance communication with governing boards, internal audiences and taxpayers. This book provides leaders with an outline of what do during every quarter of the fiscal year to exercise effective fiscal and educational leadership.

Dr. Brian Benzel served as superintendent in Washington State for 19 years after serving as a state official and as a school district and university CFO. Benzel was Washington State’s Superintendent of the Year in 1993 and a finalist for National Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Ken Hoover began his career in the Washington State Governor’s budget office and then served as the CFO and senior financial official for school districts in Washington State and Colorado. He has served as a school superintendent in Washington State for 9 years.