REGISTRATION ALERT:
EACH PARTICIPANT MUST REGISTER THEMSELVES BY LOGGING INTO THEIR ACSA MEMBER ACCOUNT OR BY CREATING A NON-MEMBER ACCOUNT. PARTICIPANTS MUST PERSONALLY AGREE TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND ACADEMY CODE OF CONDUCT. DO NOT REGISTER ANYONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF.
SUMMARY
The Association of California School Administrators provides a full range of academies, in nine leadership specializations, to meet your needs as a school administrator, confidential employee or classified manager. Because ACSA represents all members of the district management team, we can help you build the administrative and leadership skills needed in your current job, while preparing you to take advantage of career advancement opportunities.
ACSA’s job-specific academies provide a solid foundation in the application of leadership and management fundamentals for administrators who are new or aspiring to advanced leadership positions. The academies are seen as the “fast track” into your career as a superintendent, principal, business manager, curriculum and instruction or personnel administrator, special education/pupil services director, confidential employee or classified manager. We invite you to take advantage of these exceptional high quality professional learning opportunities as ACSA continues to innovate to better meet your needs.
The academies attend to the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSEL) and the standards for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s (CTC) Professional Clear Administrative Services Credential (CASC) program. The ACSA Clear Administrative Credential Program is CTC-approved (see additional information at www.acsa.org/credentialing).
School Business Academy
Intended audience
Superintendents and Cabinet members; newly appointed and aspiring Chief Business Officials; Educational Services and Human Resources administrators, Principals, and other district staff Seeking an in-depth introduction to school business operations; School Board Members
The ACSA School Business Academy provides a comprehensive, concentrated curriculum tailored to the unique demands of business management in the education setting. The academy is the only source of specialized training in all facets of school business operations available to new or aspiring school business administrators. Presentations and discussion sessions are led by seasoned professionals who use practical examples of effective business management techniques. The School Business Academy focuses on building the practical skills and understanding of organizational principles required for today’s administrators within the context of local control accountability planning and the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). This Academy is not part of a ertification pathway. Administrators seeking Chief Business Official certification are encouraged to complete the Business Executives Leadership Program, in its entirety, with the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO). For CTC-approved Clear Administrative Services Credential programs, and with prior approval of the credentialing program leadership, academy hours may be used toward completing annual required professional development requirements.
Specific themes include:
Leadership, organization and personnel relationships in business services
• Selection, training and supervision of staff.
• Superintendent, CBO, board relations.
• Strategic planning.
• Legislation and advocacy.
• Leadership and relationships.
• Collective bargaining.
• Collaboration and internal controls between business services and human resources departments.
• Communications within school business department.
Budget preparation and control
• Legal provisions and restrictions.
• Estimating attendance, enrollments, income and expenditures.
• Budget, calendar planning and development.
• Development of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP).
• Allocating resources to support continuous improvement.
• Managing school district budgets including site-based and curriculum-driven budgets with an equity lens.
• Fiscal oversight.
School finance, accounting and auditing
• Standard account code structures.
• History of school finance.
• Financing alternatives.
• Understanding the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
• Special Education funding, programs and efficiency.
• Purpose of auditing.
• Attendance accounting.
• Associated Student Body (ASB)/Booster group accounting.
Business operations
• Facilities planning and financing.
• Purchasing and contracts.
• Pupil transportation.
• Food services.
• Technology and information management.
• Risk management.
• Maintenance and operations.
2026-27 meeting format
Participants experience 100 hours of professional learning over ten weekends in a virtual/Online meeting format for 10 hours per Academy weekend. The academy meets Friday evenings, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
