The MoakCasey School Finance Services team includes former top education officials and practitioners. MoakCasey is considered the gold standard in high-quality research and planning services related to the financial operation and management of public school education. The school finance team equips school districts and charter schools with the knowledge they need to allocate their financial resources efficiently and effectively by delivering the guidance and products that help keep them at the forefront of financial administration.
Bookkeeper Training Services
A school district chief financial officer’s decisions are only as good as the financial revenue and expenditure data available and posted to the district’s ERP. Campus bookkeepers and other department staff in similar roles are responsible for posting campus and/or department data to the correct account codes. MoakCasey experts provide a 5-hour training (tailored to the district’s needs with a pre-training intake meeting with district financial leaders) where we cover best practices around the following topics: journal entries, bank reconciliations, cash handling, fraud prevention, allowable expenditures, as well as ground-level instruction about the TEA’s standard chart of accounts. Pricing varies by number of attendees.
efficiency audits
MoakCasey offers Efficiency Audits to districts seeking to increase M&O revenues through Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) as required by the Legislative Budget Board. Efficiency Audits help the district provide accurate information about their fiscal management, efficiency, and utilization of resources to voters.
Financial Data Review
MoakCasey highlights significant trends in a district’s financial data from the last five years and compares to self-selected peers. Using data from the PEIMS Actual and Budget Reports, Moak Casey examines and analyzes expenditures at the function and object level. Graphs, tables, and charts supporting these analyses provide various perspectives on district finances.
financial management reviews
MoakCasey experts partner with district staff to deep dive into staffing needs in all areas of the Finance department, including Payroll, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Budget, and Position Control. MoakCasey staff will also review the district’s policies, procedures and internal controls. Using data from the district and peer models, MoakCasey examines and analyzes the data and offers best practice recommendations on district adjustments.
Texas School Policy Network
MoakCasey administers an innovative news and information service for school districts known as The Texas School Policy Network (TSPN). This service offers its members a uniquely comprehensive synthesis of the crucial updates and analysis of school policy topics including both school finance and accountability – the only service that covers both of these vital policy domains.
freeport & foreign trade zone exemptions
MoakCasey staff work with the district on an agreement that ensures the school district is protected from any adverse impact while maximizing the district’s financial benefit.
CFO Coaching/retainer services
MoakCasey experts assist school district seeing additional support for CFO’s and/or for other hybrid financial/advocacy services, which can include coaching hours for CFO’s, briefings to the district’s school board on financial matters, and representation on matter before the Texas Education Agency or the Legislature on specific district needs.
We offer custom-tailored contracts to meet each client’s needs, for example, assisting districts with local optional homestead exemptions or tax rate adoptions, and other needs as requested by districts.
Truth-in-Taxation Services
The Financial Services team provides client school districts with Truth-In-Taxation documents and guidance such as:
- The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet
- The “Notice of Public Meeting to Discuss Budget and Proposed Tax Rate”
- Calculation of maximum compressed rate
- Language required by statute to adopt the district’s tax rates
- Revenue projections using district-provided six weeks’ data
- Consultation about the budget and tax rate adoption process
MoakCasey generates revenue projections for clients throughout the year using current attendance counts and property value estimates.
VATRE related services: financial modeling
MoakCasey offers expertise in VATRE related services including the calculation of maximum compressed rate and Tier II enrichment rate, reviewing the language required by statute to call an election, revenue projections using the new tax rate, revenue scenarios, Board training on VATRE requirements, and consultation regarding the elections process and best practices for success.
Innovative Partnership Financial Guidance
MoakCasey staff offer expertise and guidance to districts seeking innovative solutions for additional revenue and services for students, including 1882 agreements and virtual and hybrid education.
- SB 1882: MoakCasey assists districts in estimating the potential benefits of these agreements and provides guidance with the creation and implementation of the financial terms of the partnership.
- Virtual and Hybrid Education: MoakCasey assists districts in understanding the evolving state guidance regarding online education, including how student attendance is measured and possible impacts on state funding.
Property Value Study Services
MoakCasey experts assist school districts in realizing the full amount of state funding generated under the school finance system. Through analyses of Comptroller property value studies, the MoakCasey School Finance Services team develops and submits property value study protests and audit requests.
revenue projections/state aid template assistance
MoakCasey uses state data from TEA and the Texas Comptroller along with direct input from the individual district to help a district’s financial manager refine the district’s revenue estimate. MoakCasey guides a district in analyzing and forecasting its property values, tax rates, and student attendance counts. Specifically, MoakCasey advises how o identify the correct data to include in the estimate and how changes in the data will affect the revenue.
Economic Development: ch313 maintenance agreements and jeti applications
MoakCasey Assists school districts in navigating the complex reporting and financial requirements, including required reports to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, annual revenue loss reports for the partner company, ongoing support throughout the life of the agreements, and managing the tax credit process to ensure accurate tax credit payments and reimbursements by the Texas Education Agency.
MoakCasey also represents the district though the audits of prior agreements conducted by the State Auditors office.
School Finance Consultation or Project Assistance
The MoakCasey Financial Services team assists a school district or charter school with projects not detailed above. Our experts work out a plan to complete a district’s special project needs or assist in navigating any funding challenge.
