District Business Services
Your Partner in Financial Sustainability and Student Success
MCOE's External Fiscal Services department is dedicated to building strong partnerships with our local school districts and charter schools, ensuring they have the financial footing needed to support their students. We serve as your essential resource for fiscal health, operating under the important framework of California's AB 1200 County Office Oversight, which aims to prevent financial challenges before they start. Our team diligently reviews and approves school district budgets, conducts thorough interim financial report reviews, and provides crucial financial oversight and guidance throughout the year. We work hand-in-hand with our Educational Support Services team on LCAP reviews to ensure your funding directly supports your educational goals.
To empower your teams, we offer ongoing direct services, helpful workshops, and practical training focused on sound financial management and efficient operations. We're here to help you remain financially solvent and focused on learning!
Services
- Targeted Trainings & Workshops: build financial skills within your team.
- Scheduled One-on-One Meetings: dedicated support and focused problem-solving.
- Answering LEA's Questions: Our team is always ready to answer questions as needed, ensuring timely, accurate guidance when it is needed most.
Our department provides a full range of mandated oversight and operational financial services essential for maintaining the fiscal integrity of local school districts. Many of these functions are required by law, including the critical review and approval of district budgets and LCAPs, ensuring they are fiscally sound and aligned.
We manage essential compliance functions such as attendance accounting, financial reporting, and public disclosures and review key documents like employee agreements and cash flow projections. We also play a central role in the resolution of audit findings, guiding districts to implement corrective actions.
Beyond compliance, our operational support includes providing and maintaining advanced financial software for the accurate and timely execution of functions like payroll processing, STRS/PERS retirement reporting, and vendor payments. We also facilitate services like group insurance plans and related accounting support.
Crucially, we act as a central resource to review, interpret, and communicate legislative laws, Education Code, and other legal issues to district administrators and staff, ensuring every district achieves and maintains compliance with the numerous state and federal regulations.
Our oversight is underpinned by advanced technical support for the integrated financial software systems—such as Escape and Frontline ERP—that districts rely on for all their accounting, payroll, and human resources functions. We serve as the primary technical resource, hosting the countywide system, maintaining network infrastructure, installing critical updates, and providing specialized end-user training to district staff. By ensuring the smooth, accurate, and compliant operation of these complex platforms, we enable districts to produce the clean, real-time data necessary for accurate budget projections, timely payroll processing, and mandatory state reporting (SACS), directly supporting the AB 1200 goal of proactive fiscal management.
Reach Out for Support
Email us at fiscalsystems@mcoe.us.
The County Superintendent of Schools holds a mandatory, proactive role in fiscal oversight under Assembly Bill (AB) 1200. We act as the essential second line of defense, monitoring the financial health of local school districts to ensure they remain solvent and can sustain educational programs.
MCOE provides vital Payroll Services that ensure accuracy, compliance, and peace of mind when it comes to one of a district’s largest financial responsibilities—personnel expenditures.
Accurate student attendance reporting is essential for both educational accountability and funding compliance. The County Office supports districts in maintaining precise attendance data and meeting all state reporting requirements. Our team provides guidance on attendance accounting procedures, reviews district submissions for accuracy, and ensures timely reporting to the California Department of Education (CDE).
We also help districts interpret and apply state attendance regulations, offering technical assistance and training to promote consistent, compliant practices across all schools. By partnering with the County Office, districts gain the expertise and oversight needed to safeguard funding, uphold compliance, and ensure that every student’s instructional time is accurately represented.
How We Help Districts Succeed
Our role is fundamentally about partnership and prevention. By providing oversight, we help districts achieve long-term financial stability and meet their educational goals.
- Early Risk Detection: We identify potential problems—like declining enrollment or future cost increases—through multiyear projections before they escalate into crises.
- Technical Expertise: We offer crucial guidance, training, and support to district business officials on state accounting laws, reporting standards, and budget best practices.
- Protecting Education: By preventing fiscal insolvency, we help safeguard the resources necessary to implement the district's LCAP and deliver high-quality programs for all students.
Goal
To ensure every school district maintains fiscal solvency for the current and subsequent two fiscal years, allowing leaders to focus on student achievement, not financial crisis.
Resources
- FCMAT.org (website)
- CDE: Criteria and Standards for Fiscal Solvency (website)
Forms & Resources
- District Business External Forms (Google Drive Folder)
- Fiscal Oversight Information
Business Managers User Group Public Folder
Plans, templates, and resources from business manager meetings.
Fiscal Systems Support
Email us at fiscalsystems@mcoe.us for support.
Main Contacts
Assistant Superintendent of Business and Administrative Services
Director - External Fiscal Services
District Fiscal Management Advisor
District Fiscal Mangement Advisor
Accountant
Fiscal Systems Liaison
Accounting Technician I
This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.