Effective Use of Resources

Effective Use of Resources

We believe that using our resources responsibly and strategically will result in success for our students. As a publicly-funded organization, we must be efficient and effective in our use of public resources to ensure and maintain trust.

Here are some of the initiatives for 2020-21 in the area of Effective Use of Resources:

  • Meritorious Budget Award
    Finalized a recommendation with the Facility Advisory Committee to determine future school/program needs and opportunities
  • Continued to engage with FloAnalytics to enhance enrollment forecasting and provide innovative mapping tools
  • Implemented Microsoft Teams across the district
  • Provided 1:1 computers for all students
  • Received the Meritorious Budget Award for the fourth-straight year in 2020-21
  • LWSD was the first district in the Puget Sound to provide in-person learning
  • Provided the most in-person learning for all students in Spring 2021
  • Saved LWSD taxpayers $43 million over the last six years by refinancing outstanding bonds
  • Allocated federal ESSER resources to support student learning and health and safety needs
  • Completed construction projects funded by the 2016 construction bond to provide classroom space for 3,000 students

 

2020-21 Meritorious Budget Award - 4th year in a row

 

Financial Information:
In 2020-21, the District continued its process to align all budget additions with strategic goals. LWSD continues to improve fiscal reporting and accountability. 

The LWSD Budget has received the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) from The Association of School Business Officials International for the past four years. This award recognizes excellence in school budget presentation. The MBA requires school districts to meet stringent criteria to promote budget alignment to district goals, providing additional information and transparency to the community about how taxpayer dollars are spent, and providing a reader-friendly budget document. 

The District continues to have the highest credit rating assigned to any school district in the state (shared only by two others). We continue to meet or exceed our minimum 5% fund balance requirement. Fiscal responsibility is of utmost importance to the district.

Revenue

2020-21 Where does the money come from?

Expenditures

2020-21 Where does the money go?
All Funds 2020-21 Beginning Fund Balance  Revenues Expenditures Ending Fund Balance
General $107,052,315 $461,434,869 $461,523,257 $106,963,927
ASB                $1,982,774  $870,391  $903,656 $1,949,508
Debt Service $31,483,890  $75,791,264  $75,030,558  $32,244,597
Capital $109,586,125  $79,045,926 $155,725,338  $32,906,713
Transportation Vehicle $3,091,716 $798,803 $805,348  $3,085,171

 

Accountability for Results: 
Results are the results desired for our students. Results policies are part of the School Board’s governance structure. The Board regularly monitors the organization’s progress toward accomplishing Results, including achievement of the district’s mission and vision for students; focused on graduating every student Future Ready. You can learn more by reading our monitoring reports, available here: Monitoring Reports - Lake Washington School District (lwsd.org).