Skip to main content

Study Guide

Field 056: School Treasurer
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

Expand All | Collapse All

Domain I–Governance and Leadership

Objective 0001
Understand the legal roles and responsibilities of the treasurer as the chief fiscal officer of the school district and how to participate fully as a member of the school district leadership team.

During the implementation of a school district's strategic plan, the treasurer works to identify and provide information regarding the financial resources required to effectively support the strategic plan and associated organizational goals. The treasurer will be able to fulfill this responsibility effectively if the strategic plan includes:

  1. clearly delineated materials, services, personnel, and timelines for the completion of all initiatives and programs.
  2. measurable objectives that are clearly articulated and aligned with the district's mission and vision.
  3. documentation of internal board of education assumptions and discussions prior to approval of the plan.
  4. statements and assurances that all resources related to the plan comply with relevant laws and district policies.
Answer
Correct Response: A. Identifying the necessary materials, services, and timelines will help the treasurer provide accurate financial information and determine the extent to which the district can commit fiscal resources to the plan.

Objective 0002
Understand how to establish and maintain sound fiscal practices that support school district programs, policies, and procedures in collaboration with the board of education, superintendent, district leadership team, and other stakeholders.

The leadership team of a school district is considering the implementation of a new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program at both the district middle school and high school. The treasurer should provide answers to which one of the following questions to best help the team make its decision?

  1. How many students currently enrolled in the district will benefit from the new program?
  2. Can the district meet the costs associated with starting the program and sustaining it?
  3. Can current facilities support the program and its possible expansion in the future?
  4. Would additional staff members be needed to run the program successfully?
Answer
Correct Response: B. The treasurer in this scenario has to consider both immediate costs as well as future commitments. The district's ability to sustain the program would, in large part, be determined by treasurer's answers regarding this question.

Domain II–Financial Management, Accounting, and Reporting

Objective 0003
Understand how to collect, analyze, interpret, and report financial data for budgeting, forecasting, and decision making.

A school district planning committee is charting educational priorities for the next few years. One faction within the committee is seeking to increase the allocation of resources for an expanded technological literacy program in district middle and high schools. Other members of the committee are concerned about what this would mean for funding of other programs such as fine and performing arts, languages, and library and media services. The treasurer can best contribute to this discussion by:

  1. asking members in favor of the proposal to develop an analysis of the funds needed and the existing programs from which they would be drawn.
  2. reassuring members who are opposed to increased funding for technology literacy that district revenues would likely increase in the near future.
  3. providing current levels of revenue and expenditures, five-year projections, and other financial data to members on both sides of the proposal.
  4. analyzing the current budget and deciding which programs would be cut to fund technology literacy programs.
Answer
Correct Response: C. Given the scenario, it is important that the treasurer not advocate for one side or the other publicly. The treasurer could most appropriately contribute to the stakeholder discussion by providing detailed, current, and clear information about the district's finances.

Objective 0004
Understand public school funding and the school district's resource allocations via the appropriation and budget process.

To calculate the amount of per-pupil state aid a school district receives in Ohio, the state starts with a base amount. The base amount is then reduced by which of the following?

  1. gross revenues of the district's businesses
  2. local capacity
  3. amount paid by district residents in state taxes
  4. federal adjusted gross income of the district residents
Answer
Correct Response: B. Local capacity allows the Ohio state government to distribute its financial resources in a manner based on district need and the ability that districts have to fund their efforts with local revenue.

Objective 0005
Understand how to manage school district finances, including managing cash and debt, accounting practices, auditing procedures, and accurate financial reporting.

In accordance with Uniform School Accounting System coding practices, monies for providing services and materials to in-district students attending nonpublic schools within a district would most likely come from:

  1. the Auxiliary Services fund.
  2. the Alternative Schools fund.
  3. the Other Grants fund.
  4. the Disadvantaged Children/Targeted Assistance fund.
Answer
Correct Response: A. School districts use Generally Accepted Accounting Practices because they are uniform and consistent across organizations. A standard state-level fund identified in this system is the Auxiliary Services fund. The purpose of this fund is to supplement districts faced with costs such as payments to nonpublic schools.

Domain III–Capital Asset Management, Purchasing Procedures, and Risk Management

Objective 0006
Understand the acquisition, financing, and maintenance of school buildings and other capital assets.

Once a school board opens bids for a construction project, it must award and execute a contract with the successful bidder within which of the following timeframes?

  1. 14 days
  2. 30 days
  3. 60 days
  4. 90 days
Answer
Correct Response: B. The Ohio Revised Code establishes timelines and financial thresholds regarding open bidding for public school construction projects. One of the timelines calls for districts to enter into a contract with a successful bidder no later than thirty days after a bid is accepted.

Objective 0007
Understand how to manage purchasing procedures and provide financial oversight and analysis of fiscal impact of school district support services.

The primary reason for instituting the practice of segregation of duties for purchasing procedures is to:

  1. allow non-administrative staff to participate in purchasing decisions.
  2. manage the workload of administrators responsible for purchasing duties.
  3. use the expertise of more than one person to resolve purchasing problems.
  4. reduce the possibility of fraud or theft by individuals responsible for purchasing.
Answer
Correct Response: D. By sharing responsibilities for purchasing procedures among several employees in a district or office, an effective system of checks and balances is established.

Objective 0008
Understand how to develop and monitor risk management practices to protect school district assets.

Obtaining input from building/department leaders is most important during which of the following steps in the process of conducting a risk assessment?

  1. defining categories of risk mitigation
  2. identifying potential risks
  3. calculating costs and benefits of various risk responses
  4. prioritizing risks on a scale of severity and frequency
Answer
Correct Response: B. Gathering information and insights from several people with diverse experiences is essential if a district leader is to have a panoramic view of potential risks and their costs.

Domain IV–Compliance, Communication, Collaboration, and Professionalism

Objective 0009
Understand how to ensure compliance of school district operations with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations; district policies; and contractual provisions and how to model high standards for professional ethics and values.

Some custodians in a school district work overtime hours after a snowstorm. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act (OMFWA), the district is obligated to:

  1. offer those custodians who do not work overtime the opportunity to do so in the future.
  2. establish an overtime pay scale for all contracted employees based on years of service in the district.
  3. ensure that overtime hours are distributed evenly among all full-time custodial staff members in the district.
  4. pay a rate of one-and-one-half times an employee's normal rate of pay, or "hourly wage," for any time above 40 hours of work per week.
Answer
Correct Response: D. The Ohio Revised Code establishes this rate as the amount an employer must pay an employee if they work above 40 hours per week.

Objective 0010
Understand how to lead, manage, and promote professional development for personnel in the treasurer's office; communicate and collaborate with all stakeholders; and maintain a strong commitment to personal professional development and the advancement of the school treasurer profession.

When starting the annual process of creating a district budget for the upcoming school year, a treasurer reviews the district improvement plan. Which of the following statements explains how this would be most beneficial for the treasurer when creating a budget?

  1. Reviewing the improvement plan allows the treasurer to assess the progress made by the district regarding the plan in the previous year.
  2. Reviewing the improvement plan helps the treasurer align resources with the educational goals of the district.
  3. The treasurer will be prepared to identify areas of the improvement plan where potential cost savings could occur.
  4. The treasurer could offer insights to district educators about how the district could develop an action plan for improvement.
Answer
Correct Response: B. While district leaders often have limited resources and must make difficult choices regarding funding, the mission of educating students should be a guiding principle for each decision made by those leaders.