The Moak Casey Financial Services team includes former top education officials who have been associated with every major issue affecting school finance in the last 35 years. Moak Casey is considered the gold standard in high-quality research and planning services related to the financial operation and management of public school education. The Financial Services 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.
Property Value Study Services
Moak Casey 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 Moak Casey Financial Services team develops and submits property value study protests and audit requests.
Financial Modeling and Revenue Estimation Services
Moak Casey’s online financial model allows a school district to explore the funding implications of various scenarios in real time. An accurate estimate of a district’s expected state and local revenues is essential to quality financial management. Moak Casey 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.
With so much in the school finance world changing, a school district often wants external validation of revenue projections and assumptions. During template review sessions, Moak Casey guides a district in analyzing and forecasting its property values, tax rates, and student attendance counts. Specifically, Moak Casey advises how to identify the correct data to include in the estimate and how changes in the data will affect the revenue.
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
Moak Casey generates revenue projections for clients throughout the year using current attendance counts and property value estimates.
Staffing Studies
Moak Casey produces an in-depth report that provides key insights on a school district’s current staffing practices and provides recommendations on how to refine them.
- Using a district’s master schedules, Moak Casey analyzes staffing patterns at the high school campus level and helps a district to understand whether campuses are staffed similarly and pinpoint any potential inefficiencies or imbalances in teachers’ work assignments.
- Using data from the PEIMS Actual Reports from the last five years, the Financial Services team examines staffing patterns at the district level. Comparing a district to 3-5 of its self-selected peer districts, Moak Casey highlights six main staff roles and provide graphics to help the district leadership visualize staffing changes occurring in the district and its peer districts.
Financial Data Review
Moak Casey 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.
Geocoding Assistance
The new census-based weights for compensatory education will change every year. The Financial Services team at Moak Casey assists a district in better understanding and predicting how this dynamic element impacts its funding.
School Finance Consultation or Project Assistance
The Moak Casey 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.
Federal Funding Analyses
Recent stimulus packages present districts with a unique opportunity. Moak Casey experts assist districts to effectively manage resources for maximum positive impact on student learning and provide guidance regarding federal requirements.
Texas School Policy Network
Moak Casey 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.
Innovative Educational Partnerships Financial Guidance
- SB 1882: Current state law provides incentives to school districts to contract with open-enrollment charter schools, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, or government entities. Moak Casey 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: Moak Casey assists districts in understanding the evolving state guidance regarding online education, including how student attendance is measured and possible impacts on state funding.