SCHOOL DISTRICT CENTRAL OFFICE OPERATIONS ANALYSES

he Portolan Group, Inc is pleased to be expanding its services to schools and school districts to provide assessment of central office services. In this time of decreasing unrestricted general operating revenues it is vital for a district or school to be sure it is maximizing efficiency in these expenditures.

States across the country are increasingly putting “strings” on the expenditure of the funds they provide. This puts the local administration in a real bind as general operating funds decrease and expenditures increase. No one wants to reduce the funds available at the school sites. Districts are under pressure to look at their central office staffing, purchased services and miscellaneous costs to find funds to meet decreasing revenues.

The Portolan Group will assist a district in reviewing its non-school site expenditures to ensure maximum efficiency. Such costs will be reviewed against those in like districts. Phased-in plans will be created to enable districts to meet budgetary shortfalls. The Portolan Group will look at all non-site specific expenditures and practices in district operations such as:

The Portolan Group’s exclusive focus on school districts provides specific expertise to that market. Our staff only works with schools; therefore we have extensive knowledge of educational environments. We have provided assistance to nine Council of Great City School Districts and to seven of the nation’s largest twenty-five districts. Portolan Group staff is supplemented with subject area specialists to provide equitable and unbiased analysis.

Our strategies may include recommendations related to restructuring, reducing, or making these vital departments more efficient and effective. We have written business plans for department heads and are able to provide assistance beyond the painful cutting of staff. We have worked for years in school district environments to make support services departments more efficient. We have gradually and steadily been doing more work in a broader scope of district functioning. We believe we are ready to offer this as a specific service to districts. We will assess any or all of these critical departments. Our purpose is to maximize the revenues directly involved in student education and achievement, especially in times of declining revenues.

We also have significant experience in preparing districts for the resistance that comes with any significant restructuring effort. We have the training programs and the expertise to assist districts through the change management process.

Please call 1-87-PORTOLAN (1-877-678-6526) or email Phil Stover, our President at: pstover@portolangroup.com for more information on these services. We look forward to serving you.