DMPS Earns National Honors for New Budget Book
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has presented Des Moines Public Schools with their Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, in recognition of our most recent budget publication.
For the current fiscal year, DMPS developed a newly formatted budget and financial statements book. The new format includes better organized information and a more descriptive narrative about the financial goals and objectives of Iowa’s largest school district.
According to the GFOA: “The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.”
The award guidelines assessed how well the DMPS budget book served as:
- A policy document
- A financial plan
- An operations guide
- A communications device
In order to receive the award, the DMPS budget book had to be rated “proficient” in all four of the above categories and meet fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories.
“Our staff is very dedicated to making sure our school district’s budget is accessible and comprehensible, and spent a great deal of time and effort last year to develop this new document,” said Thomas Harper, chief financial officer for Des Moines Public Schools. “For those of us in public finance, it is always a great honor to be recognized by GFOA for our good work.”
To download a copy or read online the DMPS 2013-2014 Adopted Budget and Financial Statements, click here.
