Dearborn Public Schools Receives Budget Award For 7th Straight Year

DEARBORN, MI — Dearborn Public Schools has been recognized for its budget presentation for the seventh year in a row, the district announced Tuesday.

The Association of School Business Officials International recently awarded the district a Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for the current 2024-25 fiscal year.

The district's budget is handled by Tom Wall, Executive Director of Business and Operations, and his staff.

"We are grateful to receive this recognition," Wall said. "While financial information for such a large district is inherently complicated, we work to make our information and processes understandable and available to our community, including the Board of Education."

Dearborn Public Schools has a combined annual budget of $445 million and 19,500 students, according to the district.

You can find the district’s financial records on the district website at https://dearbornschools.org under Transparency Reporting near the top of the page. The page includes items like budgets, audits, employee salary schedules, benefit plans, purchasing policies and much more, according to the district.

Earlier this school year, the district received an "unqualified" audit report, which means Plante Moran auditors did not find any significant issues with how the district handles its finances, according to the district.

"Unqualified" is the highest type of audit finding.

Meritorious Budget Award participants submit their applications and budget documents to a panel of school financial professionals. The group then looks over the materials for compliance with the MBA Criteria Checklist and other requirements and provide expert feedback that districts can use to improve their budget documents.

"Presenting a budget that is both accessible and accurate is crucial for school districts to clearly communicate and build trust with their communities," said Jim Rowan, CAE, SFO, ASBO International Executive Director. "The Meritorious Budget Award program provides districts with the resources and tools to do just that, and the districts that receive the award are recognized for their commitment to upholding nationally recognized budget presentation standards."