Seminar: Harnessing Our Leadership Skills to Leverage Indigenous Students and Communities
Program: ICSLI
Subject Area: Other
Grade Level: High school
Year of Publication: 2025
Abstract
I chose my topic because as a business manager, I am always in need of a justification,
format or guideance to validate our budget expenditures. This can be a very complex task
due to the abstract nature of school district budgets and the lack of knowledge by board
members and staff to understand the complexities of BIE funding.
It is my rationale that using a rubric to help link budgets to cultural practices can help
bridge the gap between district budgets and operational budgets in school districts and
particularly in BIE schools. By using the established Culturally Responsive Assessment
of Indigenous Schooling (CRAIS) tool, there can be a budgetary design in establishing an
easy, culturally relevant model for any business office to develop a culturally relevant
budget for school systems.
Part of the justification for this Leadership Practice Guide on building culturally
responsive school budgets, is that most administrators do not understand which expenses
are allowed or not allowed due to the federal funding laws guided by the federal
government today. Some of the factors for allowable vs unallowable expenses can be
culturally confusing include expense justifications for cultural events, activities, trips, services, and needs. Over the years there have been comments about how it is difficult to
understand what to say or write, or even simply putting words down on a requisition form. It is difficult for administrators to understand the financial details of a federal budget because they are engaged in operating a school and ensuring students are properly educated.