Objectives
In this learning session, you will:
Develop a rationale for program funding.
Compare Agricultural Science and Business program needs to other high school programs.
Identify sources for obtaining needed supplies and equipment.
Identify opportunities for internal and external funding of the local program.
Understand the significance of a Long Range Plan for physical program needs such as equipment, supplies, buildings, textbooks, and other curricular materials.

How do you know how much money you can spend each month? What do you do if you don't have enough money? What are alternatives to solving financially tough situations? Just like personal budgeting, program budgeting requires the balancing of expenses and revenue.

Agricultural educators should follow a series of steps to appropriately budget and plan for their programs. See the budget in Vista readings for the week.

Developing a rationale for program funding.

The first step in the budgeting process it to develop a rationale for program funding. This should be done by examining the program goals and objectives of each program and determining if they could be accomplished without funding.

Next an agricultural educator needs to determine specific needs by examining the curriculum and determining what supplies and equipment are needed to teach the learning objectives of the courses. An advisory committee should be consulted if changes are made to the curriculum which would lead to changes in the budget. If budget cuts are proposed, what is the school system willing to let the teacher eliminate from the curriculum? If the teacher is requesting a budget increase what curriculum is being added? .

Comparing Agricultural Science and Business program needs to other high school programs.

Recognize and communicate the differences of Agricultural Education programs and other high school programs that do not provide hands on training. Read the comparison document in Vista for more information.

To develop a quality budget you must identify sources for obtaining needed supplies and equipment. This can be done by conducting a community survey to identify potential contibutors (those who will donate supplies and equipment) in your area and by conducting a web search for companies that produce supplies and equipment that your program might need.

Identifying opportunities for internal and external funding of the local program.

After determining the real needs of the program, the Agricultural Educator will have to seek out sources of funding. In most cases a school system will not be able to provide all the funding necessary to conduct a quality program. See the list of possible internal and external sources of funding (See Vista readings for this document) to identify potential sources of funding.

Understanding the significance of a Long Range Plan for physical program needs such as equipment, supplies, buildings, textbooks, and other curricular materials.

The final step is to reassess the Long Range Plan (see Vista for this document) for physical program needs such as equipment, supplies, buildings, textbooks, and other curricular materials. This must be done annually as needs change.

Readings and Discussion

You have readings in your Vista readings folder for this week.

There are no additional items this week.