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School Finance Services

Maximizing all of your resources for a sustainable future.

This is where finance meets focus. Our seasoned team of financial experts brings years of public and private experience to the school space, which means you’ll get customized plans and projections to suit your district’s needs. Whether it’s a full-service approach or consultation on a specific project, we’re equipped to bring you a better bottom line.

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Key Solutions

Finance Business Operations Assessment

The best place to start for a holistic understanding of your current processes and structures. Through our Finance Business Operations Assessment, we document your current reality and identify where you want to go next. From there, we develop a customized, actionable plan.

Process Documentation

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for your business office are essential for streamlined workflow and easier onboarding and cross-training, but many districts struggle to find time to create them. Complete documentation includes instructions and images, available to every staff member via a shared digital location, that describes the step-by-step process to successfully complete a task. CESO can assist with building this complete SOP documentation for your team using your unique processes and tools for AR, AP, payroll, month-end close, vendor management, and more.

Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable

Our team knows the ins and outs of accounts payable and accounts receivable so we’re able to jump in for as little or as much support as you need. Leverage our team to manage credit, liabilities, invoices and reporting.

Federal Compliance Consulting

Get expert guidance on federal finance award considerations and management. This program is customizable but can include: interpretation of code of federal regulations, preparation of a Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, maintenance of equity calculations and other technical research.

Payroll

Partner with our team to take on your payroll management system with end-to-end administration including a financial record of employee gross earnings, payroll deductions and net pay, and your related payroll tax liability.

Audit Preparation

Take the extra stress out of audit season by working with CESO for all or part of your year-end reconciliations and audit paperwork preparation.

ERP Software Implementation & Training

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is a great tool to streamline the work your finance and business office teams are doing. CESO can provide training for common systems you're already using - like Skyward, Y-Smart Finance and E-Finance Plus - or we can help your team implement new software to optimize your process.

Student Reporting Accounting

When working with our team, rest easy knowing that we can manage your automated student reporting system, like MARSS. We can complete your reporting, provide training to a new human resources team member and document your processes to prevent knowledge loss.

Actuarial Study Data Shell Preparation

Required to be completed every two years, actuarial studies project your organization's pension benefit liability. CESO provides actuarial support with data shell preparation so you can look at both current and retiree health data to determine your liability.

Fixed Asset Data Consolidation, Cleanup & Preparation

It can be hard to find time to focus on things that are important, but not urgent. That's where CESO comes in. We can help with your fixed asset consolidation, cleanup and preparation for things like parking lots, buildings, vehicles, technology equipment, and more.

Grant Accounting & Reconciliation

Take the guesswork out of grant accounting and reconciliation by leveraging CESO to create a process for managing your government grants easily and efficiently. Already have a process? We can review and provide recommendations to make it run even smoother.

Month-End Close Management

We know month-end close management like the back of our hands. When working with CESO, we can either provide you with an optimized process to make month-end as seamless as possible, or we can take on the work directly and complete it for your team.

Special Project & Construction Budgeting

Financial planning is critical for well-kept, safe spaces for students and staff. Partner with CESO to create a buildings and grounds budget that maximizes all resources while also taking into account regular maintenance and upkeep as well as planning for any future expansions or remodels as district needs change. Our team brings decades of both facilities and finance experience to the table for a holistic approach.

Executive Coaching

Lean on our team of experienced pros to help your new hire hit the ground running. Get coaching and guidance for school district business officials new to an executive or controller-level role within school finance.

Business Manager Staffing

Tap into our experienced bench of business managers ready to join your team as a long-term solution or short-term stabilization. We can help manage any or all day-to-day operations as well as lead strategic initiatives, budget projections and team members.

CFO / Finance Director Staffing

Leverage CESO for finance executive and director-level support for short or long-term needs. With years of experience, our team can step in to manage your finance department, budgeting, purchasing, accounting and more - helping ensure a healthy balance sheet now and in the future.

Controller Staffing

Whether temporary or permanent, tap into our team for controller-level support including budgets, audits and financial reports plus tax codes and regulations management.

Accountant Staffing

We can be an interim or long-term accounting resource, seamlessly integrating into your team to keep ledgers and financial reports in tip-top shape.

Finance Specialist Staffing

Enjoy day-to-day finance support from a CESO Finance Specialist who will focus on keeping everything from payroll to accounts receivable running smoothly in your district.

Get Exactly What You Need

Not seeing what you’re looking for? Need a combination of finance services and support? We’d love to learn more about how we can partner together to rethink possible! If it’s related to school business operations, we have an expert who can help.

Finance Business Operations Assessment

If you're not sure where to start, we recommend our Finance Business Operations Assessment. We provide a comprehensive review of your current processes and structures and then create a completely customized action plan to keep what works and replace what doesn't. We ensure your plan is actionable by prioritizing it into three categories: Do Now, Do Soon, Do Later.

Let us do the implementation work for you, or we can put the plan into your team's capable hands. Either way (or a blend of both), you can count on a course of action and timeline that are tailored to your team and district needs.

The assessment explores the seven categories we consider most important for successful business office practices including:

  • Purchasing and Accounts Payable
  • Accounts Receivable and Cash Handling
  • General Accounting Practices
  • Payroll and Benefits
  • Reporting and Compliance
  • Staffing
  • Proactive Practices

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Do Now

High impact, minimal effort. The tasks prioritized in Do Now can often be completed by your team, with limited support. Think of it as having all the tools in place, you just need a hand prioritizing, planning or making a conscious effort to focus on them. This stage is often also where we determine pieces to be implemented in Do Soon.

Do Soon

High impact, medium effort. These action items build momentum, accelerating improvement and increasing efficiency. They’re often project-based and may require an investment. Do Soon typically impacts the current or upcoming year, but the timeline is ultimately up for your team to decide.

Do Later

High impact, high effort. We make sure you’re set up for sustainable, long-term success. Think of these items as your ideal state, with Do Now and Do Soon helping lay its groundwork. Do Later can also include an analysis of results, longer-term planning, and higher levels of organizational change that may require partnership support.

Let's Work Together

Through consulting, management and staffing support, we’re here for both the big picture and the day-to-day. Partner with us for any or all, and get fully customized business operations solutions aligned with your goals.

Impact Stories

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