TENTATIVE

Occ. Code 3509200

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES

Incumbents in the School Business Management series are responsible for coordinating and performing administrative review of public school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) capital construction projects that require the approval of the Commissioner of Education; providing technical assistance to school district managers in the areas of law and regulations; advising public school officials and personnel in New York State on problems of business and financial management; drafting administrative directives for dissemination to all school districts; developing new and more efficient procedures for grants processing; and providing oversight, guidance and supervision to professional staff pertaining to all aspects of fiscal management and school business management. 

These positions are classified only in SED.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Levels in this Series are distinguished from each other by an overall evaluation of the following factors:

1.  The scope and size of the project and the involvement of the position in managing financial activities and operations;

2.  The complexity of either the aid or grant and the activities assigned;

3.  The variety of the activities performed;

4.  The independence with which the work is performed, including the responsibility for the quality and outcome of completed work;

5.  The extent of responsibility for advising about policy issues and interpreting policy for staff on behalf of executive management; and

6.  The level of supervisory responsibility. 

ASSISTANT IN SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT:  full performance level; assists in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of all aspects of school business and financial administration.

ASSOCIATE IN SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT:  first supervisory level; oversees more complicated or larger programs, grants, or assistance, advises aid or grant recipients on complicated procedures or policies.  Supervises a team of Assistants or other related professionals, or coordinates a multi-disciplinary work team or function.

SUPERVISOR SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT:  second supervisory level; typically supervises two or more Associates; directs a unit in SED or oversees a major multi-disciplinary work team or function.

RELATED CLASSES

Education Finance Specialists apply professional education finance knowledge and training to administer the fiscal activities of the State Education Department (SED), school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, counties, libraries, colleges and universities, non-degree proprietary schools and local agencies that receive funds distributed by SED including private, not-for-profit organizations, and community-based organizations.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

          ASSISTANT IN SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

·       Assists local school districts in the preparation of applications and reports and at conferences with Federal Government representatives.

·       Works with professional staff members compiling and computing data for local assistance reports, preparing State Aid Manual, analyzing and commenting on legislative bills and preparing special research studies.

·       Assists in establishing procedures and policies at the State level to ensure conformity to both State and Federal regulations.

·       Assists with the maintenance of financial payment data for inclusion in annual reports and reviews reports for accuracy, completeness and consistency of data prior to submission.

·       Plans long-term financial programs for school districts having problems of reorganization, construction, and/or estimating present and future income and expenditures.

·       Participates in training workshops or conferences on school business management; consults on school business management including financing, insurance, purchasing, and transportation.

·       Consults on regulations of the U.S. Department of Education; confers with representatives of the Federal government on policies and procedures relating to federal aid for New York State public schools.

·       Drafts bulletins, directives, forms, manuals and pamphlets; forecasts effects of various State aid formulas; computes State and Federal aid. 

ASSOCIATE IN SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

·       Develops policies, procedures, and forms for new financial aid programs and supervises their installation.

·       Reviews and analyzes the administrative and educational results of present aid programs, problems in applying formulas and proposed legislation affecting State aid.

·       Assists in the preparation of State aid budget estimates; prepares manuals and other material explaining State aid for local School officials.

·       Reviews final documents for compliance with Commissioners regulations, Department guidance, and general municipal law related to public works projects.

·       Assists accountants in the review and processing of final cost reports for assigned projects.

·       Provides technical assistance regarding projects and financial policies to school districts, financial consultants, architects and engineers working on public school projects.

·       Performs special assignments as assigned, such as draft regulations, update existing guidance documents, and create new guidance as new laws and regulations are enacted.

·       Interprets regulations as needed.

·       Conducts presentations to constituent groups to promote the Department's programs and policies.

·       Responds to correspondence from a wide range of individuals, including parents, school administrators and legislators.

SUPERVISOR SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

·       Coordinates technical assistance and training for school districts regarding allowable expenditures and accounting principles under Federal Regulations.

·       Serves as liaison with the U.S. Department of Education program office on fiscal issues.

·       Manages the Mandated Services aid program, including development of application, review and approval of claims, conducting monitoring visits, managing budgets and preparing annual/final reports.

·       Develops and refines guidelines and internal controls for allocation and expenditures within the Department.

·       Coordinates with other offices in SED to streamline fiscal aspects, including web-based applications, data collection, fiscal accountability, and monitoring/compliance reviews. 

·       Assists in developing unit policies and procedures.

·       Reviews final documents for compliance with Commissioners regulations, Department guidance, and general municipal law related to public works projects and ensure accurate data reported to the Office of State Aid.

·       Performs special assignments as required, such as drafting regulations, updating existing guidance documents and creating new guidance as new laws and regulations are enacted.

·       Manages the review and processing of final cost reports and supervise project financial auditors to ensure State aid is properly funding eligible construction.

·       Supervises and participates in the development of training programs for professional staff.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

ASSISTANT IN SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Open Competitive:  a master's degree and three years professional level experience in elementary, middle or secondary education or in an educational oversight agency. Two years of this experience must have been in educational administration with major responsibility for education finance, education finance research, or fiscal management.

ASSOCIATE IN SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Promotion: one year of permanent service as an Assistant in School Business Management.

Open Competitive:  a master's degree and five years professional level experience in elementary, middle or secondary education or in an educational oversight agency. Three years of this experience must have been in educational administration with major responsibility for education finance, education finance research, or fiscal management.

SUPERVISOR SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Promotion:   one year of permanent service as an Associate in School Business Management. 

Revised:  3/16

NOTE:  Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.