Fiscal Health Management Principles: Resource and Technical Assistance Manual

This resource was originally created in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) as a tool to assist school districts in their financial practices to meet the needs of the students they serve. Through a series of engagements with ADE leadership and school district officials throughout the state, the Region 14 Comprehensive Center assisted ADE leadership in the development of six fiscal health management principles and related expectations to support each principle. The principles and expectations were originally designed to align with Arkansas laws, rules, and policies.

The material within this resource has been modified to provide more generalized guidance that can be adapted and built upon by other states and districts as the principles apply in a local context. State laws and local policies vary by jurisdiction, and the specific details in the expectations may not be applicable in all settings. However, these principles are intended to guide districts’ fiscal administration, decision-making, and strategic planning to educate students and can provide a solid foundation for state- or local-level guidance as it relates to fiscal health operations and supports efficient, successful delivery of services and materials for students.