A Look at Saginaw Township Community Schools' Financial Records
Lady Budgetdown reviewed five years of publicly available budgets and audited financial records for Saginaw Township Community Schools.
A few things are important to understand before looking at individual spending categories.
The district has received clean financial audits during the period reviewed. A clean audit is important: it addresses whether the financial statements are materially presented properly and whether reportable accounting or compliance issues were identified. It does not, by itself, evaluate whether every individual spending decision was necessary, economical, or the best policy choice.
The records also show that final budgets and audited results do not always land in the same place. In each of the five years reviewed, the audited General Fund result ultimately finished more favorably than the district's final amended budget projected.
Some of those differences have identifiable explanations, including federal and categorical grant timing, retirement-related pass-through funding, delayed expenditures, and budgeted accounts ultimately spending less than anticipated.
Against that broader backdrop, Lady Budgetdown also reviewed three consecutive years of standardized General Fund operating expenditures.
Two categories stood out for their rate of change:
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
2021–22: $411,953
2022–23: $584,805
2023–24: $683,147
Change: +$271,194 | +65.8%
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
2021–22: $4,007,144
2022–23: $4,203,863
2023–24: $4,989,172
Change: +$982,028 | +24.5%
These percentages should not be confused with total dollars. Saginaw Township Community Schools spent substantially more on Operations & Maintenance than on General Administration during each year shown.
Percentage change answers a different question: how quickly did spending in each category change?
Over these three years, General Administration increased 65.8%, while Operations & Maintenance increased 24.5%.
No conclusion attached. No judgment about what either category should be.
Just the budgets, the audits, and the reported expenditures, placed together so readers can see where the numbers moved.
Sources:
Saginaw Township Community Schools - Board-Approved Budgets
Saginaw Township Community Schools - Audited Financial Statements
Saginaw Township Community Schools - General Fund Operating Expenditure / Transparency Reports
With receipts and respect. 🪶
Data compiled and visualized by Lady Budgetdown using publicly available records.