Read user comments about the systems and services of SchoolFinances.com listed below.

I find the Financial Planning Model developed by SchoolFinances.com the single most important tool I use on a day-to-day basis. When making program, staffing or negotiating decisions, our School Board relies heavily on the projections the model easily displays when entering different assumptions. The trust factor created with different bargaining units has helped the negotiation process tremendously. Employees appreciate the transparency of the District's financial information and are able to quickly see the effect of different settlement proposals. The public appreciates and respects the District for having a financial plan that looks out more than just one year. We are considered much better stewards of the public's dollars by having a plan in place.           
                                                                  Steve Pumper, Director of Finance
                                                                  Chaska Public Schools

High quality financial planning is a key to the long-term health and stability of any school district. The Financial Planning Model provides a structure and format that makes financial planning much easier for many districts.In a recent meeting with Moody's Investors Service, one of our clients went through their five year budget forecast in detail, using the FPM. They explained the assumptions behind the numbers, the different scenarios they had tested and how the district used the FPM for budget planning, negotiations and other efforts. This presentation clearly gave Moody's staff greater confidence in the district's management and financial planning efforts and helped the district to maintain a strong bond rating.    
                                                                    Joel Sutter
                                                                    Senior Vice President
                                                                    Ehlers and Associates

The support and services offered by SchoolFinances.com is very beneficial in today's climate of school financial administration. The public's desire for information and financial accountability continues to grow as our constituents become more involved in the educational issues locally and statewide. Communicating a district's financial position can be extremely difficult without the ability to easily identify and demonstrate the key variables linked to the districts financial performance. SchoolFinances.com has developed many tools which are very effective in providing interactive feedback to School Boards, Administrators and members of the public during the various aspects of the financial planning process. I highly recommend the products and services offered through SchoolFinances.com.   
                                                                     Jeff Solomon, Director of Finance
                                                                     Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools
                                                                         
The Financial Planning Model is a great addition to the superintendent's tool box. The model provides information that readily assists decision-makers in formulating plans based on data rather than hunches. In essence, the model organizes multiple sources of data into a blueprint for constructing numerous well-founded decisions. The model is a key tool for data-driven decision-making. 
                                                                     Kathryn Leedom,Superintendent
                                                                     Willmar Public Schools

The FPM uses readily available data but does something no one else has done. SchoolFinances.com has created a meaningful, good-looking comprehensive document that is a valuable planning tool for school districts.
                                                         Dennis Hoogeveen, CPA
                                                                       LarsonAllen Weishair & Co.

As a new superintendent I needed a tool that could clearly communicate and depict the financial situation of the district. The Financial Planning Model not only met this need it was also the instrumental tool used to generate community support for a successful referendum. The FPM system gives us the tools needed to avert a similar crisis in the future. The Financial Planning Model is by far the most important resource tool available to assist a school district to accomplish the necessary financial planning.     
                                                                      Kim Ross, Superintendent
                                                                      Houston Public Schools

For a new superintendent in Minnesota the financial model is a useful tool in the following ways: I have used the model to understand the financial situation of our school district and the impact of various revenues and expenditures of our district. It has helped me understand the effects teacher salary settlements have on the projected fund balance. It has helped me make good conscious decisions regarding the current budget and next year’s budget. I cannot say enough about how this has helped me through negotiations, budgeting, and student to teacher ratios. Possibly the most important aspect of this model is the future projections of enrollment. The idea of using real data and a mathematical formula to make these future projections, gives me the confidence I need to illustrate to the board the financial condition of the district now and what it may be in the future. Good decisions are made with good data. 
                                                                      Todd Sesker, Superintendent
                                                                      Cannon Falls Public Schools
                                                                            
My previous school district started using the Financial Projection Model as an additional tool for projecting our future in a complex situation. When I accepted my current position, I recommended to our board that we purchase the FPM to provide accurate historical and future projections that would help us making staffing decisions. We can now spend spend our time using comparative data that the software provides in making decisions and not spend time creating or looking for the data we needed. This software is a 'must have' for today's school districts.  
                                                                     Keith Togstad, Superintendent
                                                                     St. James Public Schools

The financial planning model along with the additional support we get from SchoolFinances.com is a great help to me in my job. The FPM gives me a great look at what directions we need to take to maintain a positive fund balance in difficult times. It helps us stay ahead of the curve and make the little cuts quickly enough to avoid the really big, painful cuts later that can easily happen to a declining enrollment district such as ours. Also, the reports we get throughout the year help me to maintain my focus on the big picture which you can sometimes lose in the crunch of the daily grind. I am very happy that we joined SchoolFinances.com and recommend it to all of colleagues. 
                                                                      Todd Swanson, MBA
                                                                      Business Manager
                                                                      Litchfield Public Schools

The Inver Grove HeightsSchool District has been a user of the Financial Planning Model (FPM) and other SchoolFinance.com products for the past three years. Prior to the use of the FPM, the school district used a variety of different systems. These were acquired over the years to complete the budgeting process. Through a group of interactive spreadsheets, the FPM includes all of the needed budgeting components in a single system. The FPM spreadsheets include: enrollment, revenue, expenditures, reserve goals, and other options. These spreadsheets are used to graph both the present and the potential future of the school district's financial position. The FPM was designed by an individual whose sole intention has been to give Minnesota school districts the best resource tool available to handle the complexities of the Minnesota School Finance Formulas. The FPM can be used with school boards when considering future referendums, fund balance goals, budget reductions, negotiations, and a multi-year financial plan. Excellent support is given by the School Finance.com staff for the initial FPM training, the implementation, the follow-up, and the continued electronic support. The FPM is improved annually by Jim Sheehan , incorporating all legislative formula based changes, as well as the suggestions from FPM clients to make the system more responsive to their needs. The FPM is one product which I have no hesitation in suggesting or recommending to others in School Business Management.        
                                                                     Bruce Rimstad, Business Manager 
                                                                     Inver Grove Heights Public School

 I am a relatively new user of SchoolFinances.com's financial planning model. Prior to 'converting" to the FPM, I relied on an in-house financial planning model developed by former district finance staff. That planning model has served the district well and I was comfortable with it. When our Director of Finance suggested that we switch to the FPM in 2004, I was skeptical, but decided that I would give it a try.  That decision turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.  The transition from our 'in-house" model to the FPM went very smoothly. The support and services provided by SchoolFinances.com staff was invaluable. They took time to listen to our needs and help us customize the FPM to fit our site-based budgeting needs.  The FPM, with its built in simulation capabilities, such as staffing, referendum, fund balance target, etc, is a powerful financial planning tool.  It also comes with relevant charts and graphs for communicating financial planning results with school board members, administrators and the public. I find SchoolFinances.com's FPM to be a comprehensive, user friendly financial planning tool.  In addition, SchoolFinances.com has also developed other interactive planning products for enrollment projections and teacher negotiations. These models are extremely effective for school business officials to perform their 'what-if' simulations. I would definitely recommend the products and services offered through SchoolFinances.com.                                               
                                                                     Stella Johnson, Coordinator of Finance
                                                                     Rosemount-Apple-Valley-Eagan

The spreadsheet products, support, and service provided by SchoolFinances.com are very important not only to the Chief Financial Officer of the District, but the Board and other staff. I have used SchoolFinances.com variety of products for six years. I find these tools critical for me to keep up with monitoring the District's budget and long range forecasting and decision making. The models have a good balance of detailed information, graphics and summary information. SchoolFinances.com has a commitment to a high level of customer service. They constantly monitor legislation and other changes in the school finance arena and make appropriate changes to the existing models and/or create new spreadsheets. They are always available to answer questions and they also provide a variety of options for individual and group training.                                                                           

                                                                     Margo Nash, Director of Business Affairs
                                                                     Prior Lake-Savage School District

The Financial Planning Model permits school leaders to effectively conduct long-range financial planning, model financial alternatives for the School Board and public, and select a financial future that is in the best interest of the organization.      
                                                                     Dennis M. Sullivan, Ed.D.
                                                                     Interim Director of Business Services
                                                                     North St. Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale

Our district has used SchoolFinances.com financial planning tools for nearly 5 years. I most highly recommend their Financial Planning Model (FPM), associated enrollment and revenue models, excellent enrollment/financial reports and high quality support and training services. These tools have dramatically improved our long-term financial planning and financial communication. We have integrated the FPM into all of our budget planning and discussions with the school board, Financial Advisory Committee, Administration, staff and the public. These flexible and easy to use tools are continuously improved, including annual legislative updates. I'm very pleased with the SchoolFinances.com products and services.
                                                                      Bob Haines
                                                                      Director of Business and Finance    
                                                                      Willmar Public Schools