Governance and Finance of U.S. Schools Practice Test

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• Which of the following best describes the primary responsibilities of a local board of education in district governance?
• How do federal accountability provisions under ESSA influence district governance and funding decisions?
• How do retirement systems like TRS/PERS impact district budgets and long-range planning?
• Within a state, the body usually charged with managing state monies appropriated for education is the _____.
• Which statement about per-pupil funding is accurate?
• How does charter school enrollment affect district governance and funding?
• What is the difference between maintenance, repair, and operations funding and capital expenditures?
• How should governance align strategic planning with financial planning in a district?
• What does funding equity mean in a district, and how can governance promote it?
• Which statement best captures a common criticism of school boards' behavior?
• An influential and extensive federal education program signed into law by President Roosevelt in 1944 is the which?
• What are typical phases of a school district budget cycle?
• How do districts evaluate program effectiveness for budgeting decisions?
• Regional educational service agencies provide what type of support to districts that the districts might not be able to provide on their own?
• What is equalization in school finance and why does it matter for equity?
• All of the following are responsibilities of the state department of education except ______.
• How should restricted grants be accounted for in school district financial reporting?
• How do state foundation grants and equalization aid typically operate to fund districts with differing property wealth?
• Which statement is true about the Lanham Act according to the material?
• In most states, the head of the state board of education is the Chief State School Officer.
• Which factor is likely to influence the board-superintendent relationship across district sizes?
• What is a certified budget and how is it used in school finance?
• In a synthesis of research on school restructuring, all of the following structural conditions were found to enhance a school's 'professional community' and increase student learning except?
• What major federal programs fund K-12 districts and what compliance considerations accompany them?
• Who retains oversight and accountability for charter schools in most state structures?
• What is the purpose of a long-range facilities plan and its connection to capital budgeting?
• What is the requirement for collective bargaining with regard to financial capacity?
• Which statement best describes the relationship between district policy and budget priorities?
• Which trend occurred during the 1990s regarding federal role in education?
• Which category best describes for-profit schools in the educational landscape?
• What is the general process for issuing a district bond, including voter approval and market considerations?
• Which statement best reflects a potential critique of for-profit schools, given the common debate around them?
• Why is pupil transportation a material cost in district budgets, and how do districts manage it?
• What is ESSA and how does it influence district accountability and funding?
• Which statement is true about the organizational structure of schools?
• In discussions of efficiency in education, which model is most often associated with market-based practices?
• Which of the following is a recommended cash handling practice?
• In audit management, what is the role of responding to findings?
• What determines whether competitive bidding is required for a district purchase?
• Supplemental programs to help meet the needs of special school populations are called _____.
• How should districts plan for ongoing facilities maintenance funding and capital improvements?
• Which practice enhances procurement transparency and public trust?
• Which body is typically responsible for advising the governor on educational issues?
• How do property taxes influence funding variability across districts?
• Describe the process of auditing and the typical findings that require corrective action.
• At the local level, most funding for schools comes from which source?
• According to the descriptions, all of the following are accurate about regional educational service agencies except which?
• Which statement best aligns with the general theme of the material regarding school choice and for-profit education?
• Which statement about the relationship between school boards and superintendents is NOT true?
• What is the purpose of a district's risk register and how is it used in governance?
• Which group does NOT have a keen concern for shaping educational policies?
• What is a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), and what sections are typically included?
• The body that determines how taxes will be used to support schools, what will or will not be taught, and the length of the school day and year is the?
• All of the following are powers of the states to maintain and support schools except?
• Which statement best describes the bid and quote process?
• What is the purpose of debt capacity planning in capital projects?
• All of the following are advisory functions performed by state boards of education except _____.
• Which elements are typically included in a superintendent evaluation framework?
• What does a cash flow forecast do in budgeting?
• Which statement best defines intergovernmental revenue for school districts?
• What is the difference between recurring revenue and one-time revenue, and why is it important for financial planning?
• Which statement accurately describes requirements under open meetings and public records laws for school boards?
• When pursuing regionalization, which elements are essential to consider apart from potential cost savings?
• Which federal program is designed to provide preschool experiences to disadvantaged children?
• In a national survey, minority membership among school board members was which of the following?
• What are governance considerations when districts pursue regionalization or shared services?
• In a voucher system, which entity primarily uses the funds provided by the state to enroll in a school of choice?
• What is the role of an audit committee within a school district governance structure?
• Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the chief state school officer?
• What is the typical description of the governance structure regarding policy and daily operations?
• How are capital budgeting decisions related to debt management and long-range plans?
• What is a bond referendum and how does it differ from a general obligation bond?
• Most SBM programs have all of the following components except?
• In a state funding formula, what is the purpose of equalization aid?
• In most states, the head of the state board of education is the ______.
• Which engagement approaches are commonly used to involve the public in budget decisions and governance?
• Which element is essential in aligning ongoing facilities maintenance with long-term capital improvements?
• What is the role of a school district's audit committee or board-appointed financial auditor?
• What is the board's role in ensuring compliance with open meetings and public records laws?
• What is a primary purpose of publishing procurement records and dashboards?
• What are major functional expenditure categories in a school district budget, and which is typically the largest?
• A federal program designed to provide preschool experiences to poor children is _____.
• How do enrollment projections relate to staffing decisions?
• Which approach best supports equity when considering regional cost differences in funding?
• Which statement about reserve funds is correct?
• What is a sinking fund?
• Regarding political interest groups, professional teachers recognize that which statement is true?
• Which statement best describes the difference between a district's general fund and its special revenue fund?
• Describe the policy development and adoption process used by a school board.
• SBM programs operate with the endorsement of which official?
• What is the role of procurement thresholds and competitive bidding in school district purchasing?
• The term used for supplemental programs to help meet the needs of special school populations is _____.
• Which trend describes corporate contributions to education over the past decade as described in the material?
• What is capital project debt and how is it financed?
• KERA required each of the state's schools to form a school-based management council to set policy in each of the following areas except _____.
• What is the primary purpose of an audit committee within a school district governance structure?
• By 2008, the total expenditure for public elementary and secondary schools in the United States was approximately which amount?
• What is the per-pupil funding concept and how can districts analyze its adequacy?
• What is the role of GASB in district financial reporting?
• Within a state, the body usually charged with the day-today implementation of educational policies is the ______.
• Under ESSA, how are districts expected to respond to underperforming schools?
• What is ESSER funding and what governance considerations accompany its allocation and expenditures?
• What is the difference between the operating budget and a capital budget?
• What is grant management and what are essential controls for federal grants?
• What internal control practices are essential for school district financial management?
• The executive, legislative, and judicial branches influence education in all of the following ways except which?
• Which statement about financing education in the 50 states is NOT generally correct?
• What is the role of progress monitoring in governance and policy implementation?
• What does the debt service coverage ratio measure and why is it important for bond ratings?
• Who is responsible for ensuring that a school operates in accordance with federal and state guidelines?
• Which of the following statements about the New York City school system is true?
• How do districts handle procurement ethics and conflict of interest?
• What secures a general obligation bond?
• Which analysis helps determine whether to discontinue a program?
• Which statement best describes how salary schedules and pay-for-performance components influence a school district's budgeting decisions?
• How should districts use performance and financial data to drive governance decisions?
• What is the importance of transparency and public reporting in school finance?
• Which is a key compliance requirement for federal K-12 funds such as Titles I, IDEA, and other federal education grants?
• What ensures governance compliance with ethical standards and public engagement?
• Which statement best describes the purpose of open meeting and public records law disclosures?
• As a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), which outcome occurred?
• Programs in which states set the same per-pupil expenditure level for all schools and districts are called _____.
• What describes a cafeteria plan under IRS rules and its budgeting implications?
• Which statement differentiates encumbrances from expenditures in governmental accounting?
• Which term describes the method where the state funds parental choice among schools?
• Which statement about the trend in the number of school districts since 1939-1940 is correct?
• Critics of school boards point out that school boards are best described as agencies that ______.
• Which entity is typically responsible for accrediting schools?
• Since 1939-1940, the number of school districts in the United States has:
• What is the primary role of regional educational service agencies?
• Which factors influence enrollment projections and why are they important?
• One characteristic of successful schools is?
• What contract approval processes and thresholds should boards establish for procurement and vendor engagements?
• Explain the concept of maintenance of effort in state or federal funding.
• The governor has the power to do all of the following except ______.
• During President Clinton's term (1992-2000), the federal government did which?
• Which statement best describes intergovernmental revenue sources and their constraints?
• What is the role of capital budgeting in district planning?
• For-profit schools are generally described as institutions operated to...
• The Lanham Act provided funding for all of the following except which?
• How does school governance address equity in funding and access to resources?
• Which statement best describes a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) content?
• State-appropriate funds to cover the costs of educating students with special needs are known as _____.
• Which term is used for funds that are allocated to meet the costs of educating students with special needs?
• What is the role of the chief financial officer (CFO) in a district?
• How does a district demonstrate budget transparency to the public?
• Approximately how much did the United States spend on public elementary and secondary education by 2008?
• Which elements should be included in district contract management to ensure performance and compliance?
• Under a state-funded funding model, how do state funding formulas influence district revenue?
• What is the primary purpose of procurement thresholds in district purchasing?
• The majority of funding for schools is provided by which level of government?
• What is the purpose of maintaining reserve balances and having a drawdown policy?
• What is risk management and how should districts address insurable risks?
• According to the text, which statement best describes the school-based management experiences of the City of Chicago Public Schools?
• An intermediate or regional unit may provide all of the following services except which?
• Which actions help prevent bid rigging and promote ethical procurement?
• Responsibility for maintaining schools is primarily a function of which level of government?
• What are effective practices for school district cash management and short-term investments?
• What describes implementation monitoring after policy adoption?
• Which constraints commonly affect state funding of K-12 districts?
• What is performance-based budgeting?
• Which fund balance category is typically constrained by external sources such as grants or donors?
• Which of the following is a key practice in cash management to ensure liquidity?
• Over the past decade, corporate contributions to education have ______.
• Should a dispute arise within a state regarding a law related to education, the body charged with the power to decide on the reasonableness of the law is the ______.
• Which entity is typically responsible for certifying teachers?
• What is the purpose of a long-range financial plan, and what elements does it typically include?
• What types of risk should a district consider in its risk management program?
• What are GASB standards and why are they important for school district financial reporting?
• Which practice best promotes segregation of duties in cash handling?
• Which entity issues GASB standards?
• The role of the regional educational service agencies includes all of the following except which?
• Which statement best describes the governance role of the school board and the administrative role of the superintendent?
• Funding for schools has often been offset by all of the following except which?
• How does collective bargaining influence district governance?
• Under which circumstances may exceptions to bidding be allowed?
• The highest educational agency in a state is the _____.
• What distinguishes line-item budgeting from program budgeting and from zero-based budgeting in district governance?
• According to the 2007 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll, public attitudes toward school choice programs that would allow parents to choose a private school to attend at public expense revealed _____.
• What is the typical way to assess the adequacy of per-pupil funding?
• When are public-private partnerships permissible in school procurement, and what governance controls apply?
• Which statement best describes the unassigned fund balance category?
• Which sequence best describes how a district prepares for and manages a financial audit timeline?
• What do collective bargaining agreements cover and how do they affect budgets?
• Which activity is not an advisory function of the state boards of education?
• Shared governance, administrative decentralization, teacher empowerment, professionalism, bottom-up policy-making, and school-based planning are all examples of?
• What are the district's obligations regarding public records requests and timely responses?
• Which of the following is commonly cited as an advantage of for-profit schools by proponents?
• In a state-funded model, what elements do formulas typically include to determine district revenue?
• Which topic is identified as a highly controversial issue in modern U.S. education policy?
• How do school boards set property tax levies, and what checks ensure voter approval and legal compliance?
• In the list of possible advantages of for-profit schools, which option is NOT presented as an advantage by proponents?
• Which of the following is considered to be one of the most controversial educational issues of the twenty-first century in the United States?
• Which statement best describes the role of external financial auditors in a school district?
• How does a sinking fund relate to debt service budgeting?
• Which action is typically a state-level responsibility in education policy?
• Which procurement governance practice helps ensure transparency and accountability in procurement?
• What is a primary benefit of maintaining an investment policy for a school district?
• Approximately how many teachers work in the New York City school system?
• How do districts measure and address achievement gaps when deciding on program funding?
• An approach to school improvement in which teachers, principals, students, parents, and community members manage individual schools and share in the decision-making process is known as?
• What is an unfunded liability in a pension plan, and why does it matter for district budgets?
• Which budgeting approach requires justification for each program or activity starting from zero?
• Which of the following is NOT used in the arena of educational politics?
• Which of the following is a key requirement when managing federal grants?
• In externally funded grants, which practice supports compliance and successful closeout?
• What is a budget referendum and when might a district consider one?
• At the state level, most funding for schools comes from which source?
• An approach whereby parents are given money by the state to enroll their children in the school of their choice is called a(n) _____.
• Which funding approach fixes a uniform per-pupil expenditure across all districts?
• Define internal controls and provide an example relevant to school districts.
• Which practices promote public engagement in budget decisions and governance?
• Which statement best reflects elements typically included in a district's long-range planning?
• Which of the following statements best captures a core idea about voucher systems and for-profit education as discussed in governance and finance debates?
• Allocating funds according to legitimate educational needs such as low-income students or students with limited English proficiency is called _____.
• What is the purpose of a Single Audit under the Uniform Guidance, and which funds require it?
• Which statement describes stakeholder involvement at the school level in SBM?
• Which governance consideration is most accurate for revenue bonds?
• The New York City school system's total annual expenditures are more than which amount?
• A national survey of the characteristics of school board members revealed all of the following except which?
• Which statement best describes the role of a risk register in governance?
• How do district governance and state regulations interact with charter school funding and oversight?
• Why is revenue forecasting critical in budgeting, and what approaches improve accuracy?
• What are best practices for managing externally funded grants in a district?
• What is the difference between a balanced budget and deficit budgeting in a district, and which is legally required in most states?
• What factors should governance consider when approving an investment policy for a school district?
• How is funding for special education determined, and what governance challenges arise?
• Which clause is essential to include in district contracts to address performance failures and remedies?
• Distinguish between general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, and lease-purchase agreements, and give a governance consideration for each.
• What conflict-of-interest considerations should board members observe?
• Why is it important to align policy adoption with budget priorities?
• Describe the concept of fund balance and the typical categories used in governmental accounting.
• All of the following would be a function of the school board except which?
• Shared governance, administrative decentralization, teacher empowerment, professionalism, bottom-up policy-making, and school-based planning are all examples of which overarching concept?
• What are typical features and potential risks of performance-based funding models in K-12?
• What role do local property taxes play in district funding, and what constraints exist?