The current service providers either lack the expertise, are too costly, and/or deliver the business services in a way that does not meet the school leaders’ needs.

1. and personnel) they need when they need it. Let’s work
together to make our schoolsbetter, stronger, and greater.
Collectively, there is a great deal that can be done to
accomplish this objective.
Action Plan – next steps
As a thought leader in the area of public school financial
planning, I welcome the opportunity to discuss my business
concept and solutions in more detail with the appropriate
A tier-system provides a viable alternative for all parties involved
contacts in order to transform our dialogue and potential
A ―just in time‖ resource support model has the venture into a successful and resourceful one for the schools,
potential of making it moreaffordable for all the children, and the taxpayers of the City of New York.
parties involved (thereby leveling the playing Based upon my market research there is a correlation
field). It would free up theschool leaders from between the way financial resources are managed and the
time-consuming business services tasksand instructional success of the school. Schools often tend to put
help accrue savings where they are needed the their resources where they can have the greatest impact
most-- the children and the classroom. rather than utilizing them loosely and without a goal in
Theinsights presented in this paper represent a mind. This idea has the potential to keep great school leaders
potential solution to this systemic issue.Many in the system longer by alleviating potentially overwhelming
schools are going without the operational help workload with an ever growing list of the operations-related
they need not because they want to, but because priorities they need to manage. Together, we have a great
they do not have the financial resources to opportunity to unleash that potential by offering operational
secure the professional help they so badly need.
The individuals who have diligently assisted
the schools so far have done a great job, but
assistance at a price they can afford while devoting the time
that the instructional leaders would have exhausted on
operations-relatedconcerns to instructional matters by
OpIm
[
more support is needed to further add to the making the load more manageable and making them feel a (Optimization
strategic depth and breadth to navigate the
many financial and fiscalchallenges that the
sense of accomplishment at the end of theday.Let’s work
together to make this possibility a reality.
C an Impact)
with
o
school leaders face on an on-going basis. In my
view, it is time to make a change and a “OpIm is a School Advisory Service Firm that strivesto
difference in the way public schools operate improve instruction, the school environment, and the Managing Public School Financial
toward the benefits of the schools, the children,
thecommunity, and, more importantly, the
taxpayers of the City of New York. From my
community-at-large through the optimization of public
schools financial resources.” m
Resources in a Holistic and Strategic
Way.
perspective, we should give the school leaders
the opportunity toprocure the level ofservice
Please contact us for your complimentary operational
and financial assessment. p
(i.e., Procurement, assistance, budget, financial Investigate~ Educate~ Optimize
planning, optimization of financial resources, Luis Taveras,CEO & Founder
Phone number: 646-770-3449; E-Mail:
a
schools052@gmail.com

2. Growing Challenge
School leaders and their teams are forced to do more
with less with respect to carrying out the following
business services; budget management, procurement,
strategic planning, and optimization to sustain their
organizations. Often times these tasks get done by
either increasing workload and potentially
overwhelming existing personnel, hiring a School
Business Manager that they may not be able to utilize
fully year around and/or hiring an F-status person (an
individual that works a couple of days a week) that may
not be on hand when needed most for mission critical A novel wayof providing business services to public schools
This document addresses an often overlooked but decisions. At a most extreme case, certain tasks may not
critical and significant area in the public education get done at all resulting in a loss of critical financial assistance needed rather than being required to commit
sector: the provision of business services (i.e., resources. to apredetermined amount to hire a School Business
budget management, procurement, strategic Manager. The remaining funds could be devolved to
planning, and optimization) to New York City where they are needed the most—to the children and the
(NYC) schools. The current service providers either classroom. This is also addressing and supporting one of
lack the expertise, are too costly, and/or deliver the the pillars of the Bloomberg Administrationwhich is to
business services in a way that does not meet the
“The current service providers either lack the provide school leaders with more control over the school
they are responsible for and, more importantly, over
clients’ needs. That being said, an innovative expertise, are too costly, and/or deliver the their financialresources.
solution to streamline and strengthen the business
business services in a way that does not meet
processes within the school systems has been
Fundamental questions remain
identified based on the optimization of the schools the school leaders’ needs.”
financial resources. As a subject matter expert and
Why should the schools and their administration
social entrepreneur focused on public policy for
continue to be penalized, as well as the system as whole,
school financial planning I have performed
in terms of hiring a School Business Manager on a full
extensive fiscal research and gathered fiscal Creative Solution time basis (forcing the taxpayers of the City of New York
intelligence on the challenges and opportunities in
to make a financial commitment to them in term of
this space. In my view, there is a significant Based on my industry experience and expertise I am
salary, health benefits, and pension) instead of giving the
window of opportunity to modernize and right size certain there is a practical and workable solution to this
school leaders the flexibility of buying the level of
the way in which business services are provided to problem. The idea is based on a three-tier pricing
schools in order to maximize value for all parties – service they need when they need it. Why is it that the
system. Enlisting the support of a trusted advisor with
particularly the Children of NYC. This paper school leaders have not been presented with another
subject matter expertise and knowledge to address the
seeksto create awareness on the viable alternative, perhaps a three-tier pricing system
school leaders’ concerns and being available when they
which required the school leaders to pay only for the
sectorchallenges, emerging solutions and resources need him/her most (particularly around deadlines) is a
services they need rather than committing to buy the
to guide you on implementation best practices. practical way to inject expertise when and where needed
entire package?
most. The crux of my idea is that school leaders will be
given the opportunity to decide how much money they
are willing to allocate in order to secure the operational