GISD Receives GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) recently announced that Greenville Independent School District received the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget.

The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as: A policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.

In accordance with the award criteria, budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.

According to GFOA, award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

GISD Superintendent Don Jefferies says of the award, “The continued recognition of our finance department illustrates our dutiful prudence with taxpayers’ dollars. I am proud of our staff and their diligence in establishing clean financial plans and effectively maintaining campus and district budgets. The addition of approximately $2.5 million to the 2010-2011 fund balance and $1.6 million to the 2009-2010 fund balance during economically trying times also echoes their commitment to effective governmental budgeting. I could not be more pleased of their efforts.”