When asked “How will local boards compile all of the student and employee data required to implement the accountability requirements of state and federal law?” my principal asked for some clarification to discern what my area of interest in the school budget, I restated the question asking him what information was essential in determining the school’s budget, both information about staff, as well as information about students. He said that “as far as accountability goes, there must be clear information about teachers’ certification and experience. Most of this is handled through Human Resources. Since we are an alternative school, we are not subject to requirements as stringent as other schools. We simply need to have each teacher certified in any area.”
I then reminded him that students were also part of the equation. He said, “Yes, we collect information on the number of students who are enrolled full time and part time. There is a date in the fall and a date in the spring when we deliver this information to the federal government as our FTE [full time equivalent] count. If our [student roll] numbers are down, it can affect our staffing.” He also mentioned that “our student count is important when it comes to graduation tests, because the number of students who are enrolled as juniors determines the number of students who must pass graduation tests.”