Finance

Contact us

Jorge Robles
Chief Financial and Operations Officer
roblejo@tulsaschools.org

Dawn Hamilton
Finance Operations Associate
918-746-6247
hamilbe@tulsaschools.org

Click here to view the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2020

Financial Information

Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR)

general fund

What is it and what is it used for?

The general fund is what provides us the most flexibility and pays for the majority of our district costs and most of our daily operations of schools, including salaries for our staff.

The bulk of this fund goes to classroom and school services - things like instruction, student support, school administration, student transportation, and more.

The general fund also helps pay for professional learning opportunities, general administration, and maintaining and operating school facilities.

Below are two charts of our General Fund preliminary fiscal year 2020 expenditure budget.

Pie chart of the preliminary fiscal year 2020 expenditure budget.

Pie chart of preliminary fiscal year 2021 expenditures and how dollars are spent.

The building fund pays for maintaining the infrastructure of our facilities. This includes repairing and maintaining all our buildings, purchasing furniture, equipment, and computer software, paying energy and utility costs, insurance, security, and campus police.

Because this money must be used for building expenses, we cannot use this fund to pay for teacher salaries, principal salaries, classroom supplies, or other outside the purpose of this fund.

The primary source for this fund comes from local property taxes.

Child Nutrition Fund

What is it and what is it used for?

Child Nutrition is strictly for paying for the services and resources needed to ensure our students receive meals at schools.

The majority is funded by the federal government through the National School Lunch Program. We aim to provide healthy meals for as many students as possible by participating in other programs, as well, such as the Community Eligibility Program.

You can learn more about our Child Nutrition program here.

Bonds

What are school bonds?

Bonds for school projects are very similar to a home mortgage. To finance construction projects and equipment purchases, the district sells bonds to investors who will be paid back, with interest over time, with funds raised through property taxes.

School bonds begin with a general election to authorize a specific amount for projects specified on the ballot. The school district sells them as municipal bonds, typically twice a year, when funds are needed for building projects or equipment and resources. Bids are taken from interested buyers and are sold at the lowest interest rate offered.

How can school bond money be used?

Proceeds from school bonds can be used for acquiring land, construction projects like classrooms, stadiums and libraries, and remodeling existing school facilities. Funds can also be used for buying buses, equipment, textbooks, computers and networking, musical instruments, science materials, and other teaching resources.

You can find more information on our bond projects here.

Because bond money can only be used for brick and mortar construction, durable goods, and/or technology, teacher and school site salaries or routine expenses cannot be paid from bond funds.

Debt Service

What is it and what is it used for?

If you look back at how bonds work, you'll see that a school district sells bonds to investors who will then be paid back, with interest. Legally, we are required to set aside money to pay for our debt, which is where the debt service fund comes in.

Because this money is specifically set aside to pay back debts, it cannot be used for any other purpose.

You can learn more about our bond projects here.

Staffing Plans

stop fraud, waste, and abuse of federal funds

If you suspect fraud, waste, or abuse of federal education dollars, please report it here.

Resources for booster clubs and ptas

Sanctioned Organizations: Booster Clubs, PTAs, etc.

FINANCE TEAMS

Accounting

Budget

Facilities Utilization

Federal Programs

Grant Development

Payroll

Purchasing

Treasury

Two young boys at computers with audio headsets

As part of our commitment to stakeholder engagement, Tulsa Public Schools is seeking input on the use of our ESSER III American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds. Signed into law by President Biden in March of 2021, the ARP provides money to K-12 education. Over the next several months, as we finalize the details of our five-year district strategic plan, we will continue to seek input from multiple stakeholder groups as outlined in federal guidance.

Tulsa Public Schools is planning to invest the majority of these funds to maintain the operations of the district, and in the following areas related to COVID-19 recovery:

Addressing learning loss
Meeting the social and emotional needs of students and staff
Building and facility improvements to improve and maintain the health and safety of staff and students.

We are seeking your input on how you think the district should use these one-time funds to strengthen supports in these three areas. Your responses may be used to inform the designation of federally funded programming.

Click here for a survey link.
Click here to access the spending plan.
To provide other feedback, click here.

Como parte de nuestro compromiso con la participación de las partes interesadas, las Escuelas Públicas de Tulsa están buscando opiniones sobre el uso de nuestros fondos del Plan de Rescate Americano (ARP) ESSER III. Firmado como ley por el presidente Biden en marzo de 2021, el ARP proporciona dinero para la educación K-12. Durante los próximos meses, a medida que finalicemos los detalles de nuestro plan estratégico de distrito de cinco años, continuaremos buscando la opinión de múltiples grupos de partes interesadas como se describe en la guía federal. Las Escuelas Públicas de Tulsa planean invertir la mayoría de estos fondos para mantener las operaciones del distrito y en las siguientes áreas relacionadas con la recuperación de COVID-19:

Abordar la pérdida de aprendizaje
Satisfacer las necesidades sociales y emocionales de los estudiantes y el personal.
Mejoras en el edificio y las instalaciones para mejorar y mantener la salud y la seguridad del personal y los estudiantes.

Estamos buscando su opinión sobre cómo cree que el distrito debería usar estos fondos únicos para fortalecer los apoyos en estas tres áreas. Sus respuestas pueden usarse para informar la designación de programas financiados con fondos federales.

Haga clic aquí para ver el enlace de la encuesta.
Oprima aquí para acceder el plan de gastos.
Para proveer algún otro comentario, oprima aquí.

Great schools require strong financial investments and sound fiscal management. The finance team works diligently to ensure that each school community has access to the resources they need to help students be successful. We are committed to transparency and accountability and welcome you to explore our page to learn more about financial services at Tulsa Public Schools.

Learn more about how the Tulsa Public Schools budget works by clicking the PDF below:

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