Conflict in Chancellor's Regulations Concerning SLT's and the Budget

There is a conflict in the Chancellor's Regulations concerning the role of school leadership teams in school based budgeting.

The revised A-655 (School Leadership Teams- 12/07) took away the role of SLTs to develop the school budget and gave it to the principal, who now only consults with the SLT in this area. There is a Commissioner's appeal (Pollicino V. NYCDOE) pending which is challenging the legality of this change.

However, there is another Chancellor's Regulation, B-801 (School Based Budgeting) which states, the (SLT) "shall develop and prepare the school budget request". This Regulation has been in effect since 1999 and is required by State Educational Law 2590-r (School Based Budgeting). The cover letter of B-801 states that the Regulation addresses "the requirement for school leadership teams to be engaged in the formulation of school budgets" and that "teachers and parents, play a critical role in the budget process".

The NYCDOE site states that there are only hard copies available of B-801. I have a hard copy and will send you relevant pages on request.

So, when your principal quotes the revised A-655 to show that he develops the school budget, quote B-801, which states that the SLT, in a collaborative manner determines how school money will be spent.