M.A.R.P.    Major Applied Research Project

A research paper on how to apply financial management procedures in relation to campus budgeting (competency 008)

Five to eight pages not including the title and reference pages.  Charts and graphs are welcomed.  APA format.

Instructions:

Choose your budget or school plant research topic.   It is best to choose a budget area for just one campus, although a program or district budget may be approved.

Examples:

1.    The athletic budget on your high school campus;
2.    Title 1 budget for your campus;
3.    Other title programs for your campus;
4.    Student activity accounts for your campus;
5.    PTA budget for your campus;
6.    How food service is funded in the district or on your campus;
7.    How your campus bilingual budget is determined;
8.    Special education funding and staffing for your campus;
9.    How your campus educational supply budget is determined and allocated;
10.    How are campus maintenance projects funded and scheduled;
11.    Other programs as approved by professor;

Hints … be sure to pick a topic for which you can find data.
… you may have to interview the budget administrator to find information.
Directions:

1.    Focus … what do I want to know?
?    Problem Statement
?    Why I choose this issue?
?    Why is it important to me as a leader?

2.    Data collection procedures
?    How did I find information to this issue?

3.    Results
?    How is the budget determined?
?    What budget data did you find? (Dollar amounts)
?    What is the budget year calendar?
?    Do these funds come from the state, federal government, or from the local district?
?    Present the data and its implications.
?    Was the budget entirely spent, overspent, or just partially spent last year?
?    Can the budget carry over into the next year?
?    Who monitors the budget?  How is the budget monitored?
?    Who audits this budget?

4.    Recommendations and evaluation … what do my findings mean?
?    What is my evaluation of how this budget is funded and managed?
?    Do I have suggestions or recommendations for improvement?

5.    References …a minimum of three.