Running head: SCHOOL BUDGETARY NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY 1

School Budgetary Needs Assessment Survey

Ariana Gervasio

Grand Canyon University: EAD-510

August 29th, 2020

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School Budgetary Needs Assessment Survey

School leaders must complete the budget review process, this includes conducting a

needs assessment that allows leaders to identify current student and school needs and how well

they are being met. We must complete this process first before proposing a budget for the

upcoming year. Stakeholders, such as faculty and staff, are necessary for a comprehensive school

needs assessment. There are other stakeholders needed along with gathering key data points to

make a comprehensive school needs assessment.

Comprehensive School Needs Assessment

Stakeholders

Having a formal planning team is a vital part of making an effective comprehensive

school needs assessment. These stakeholders who take part must represent all parts of the

education system. Stakeholders can include “[s]uperintendents, central office staff, principals,

teachers, paraprofessionals, school office staff, parents/guardians, community members, and

students all have important information about the system” (Southwest Comprehensive Center at

WestEd, 2008, p. 4).

Key Data Points

            Data collection is through gathering existing data, assembling new data to address gaps

not covered by existing data, and studying data to distinguish needs. “[I]t is more important than

ever to ask whether possible new initiatives have been effective in improving student

achievement, and also in what ways they can be made to optimize current teaching and learning

investments” (SkyCentral, 2016). This process would start by reviewing the district’s and

school’s vision and mission statements. Including if the school’s statements meet the district’s

vision. Next, one should analyze the current CIP. Some other data needed could include formerly
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conducted studies, district and state test scores, and any surveys completed by parents/guardians,

staff, and students. Additional information could include “… a longitudinal analysis of state and

district indicator systems reports. This is a relevant approach to identifying the instructional

area(s) in need of improvement. Then determine what methods or procedures are needed to

collect any particular data” (Sorenson & Goldsmith, 2018, p. 169). Further, considering any

instructional and curriculum concerns or targeted needs. When going through this data it is vital

to view transparently and show all stakeholders this data to assess the needs within the school.

Why is this Necessary?

“Education is the prime agent of transformation towards sustainable development, increasing

people’s capacities to transform their visions for society into reality” (Hanif, Buzdar & Mohsin,

2018, p. 123). We can only do this by addressing the needs through data-driven decisions. With a

needs assessment, we can properly use this to create an effective Continuous Improvement Plan

that would correlate with the school’s budget. Having numerous stakeholders involved gives

unique perspectives on what school looks like in their eyes. With multiple different views, one

can target different concerns that the school is facing. Hence, it is crucial to incorporate many

stakeholders to overlook the data to create a conducive comprehensive school needs assessment.

Online Needs Assessment Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZFDTXLZ

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References

Hanif, Z., Buzdar, M. A., & Mohsin, M. N. (2018). Training Needs Assessment of Secondary School

Head Teachers through Different Stakeholders. Journal of Educational Research (1027-

9776),  21(2), 123–136.

SkyCentral. (2016). Big Picture Considerations When Building Your School Budget. Retrieved from

http://skycentral.com/blog/big-picture-considerations-building-school-budget/

Sorenson, R. D., & Goldsmith, L. M. (2018). The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting. Thousand

Oaks, CA: Corwin. Retrieved from https://viewer.gcu.edu/ZnPqqp

Southwest Comprehensive Center at WestEd. (2008). A Guide for Comprehensive Needs Assessment.

Retrieved from

https://www.cde.state.co.us/sites/default/files/documents/fedprograms/dl/consapp_na_guide.pdf