Fiscal Services

The NWESD Fiscal Services Department provides liaison and technical assistance for financial purposes between 35 regional school districts, the region's county officials, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  The Fiscal Services Department also provides cooperatives and services that financially benefit the school districts, such as:

• Business Manager Academy
• Compensated Absences Liability Pool
• Evidence of Coverage
• Financial Support Services
• Pupil Transportation
• Unemployment Cooperative Pool

All school districts within the NWESD service area supplement legislative monies to provide an expanded level of service.

Business Manager Academy

The Business Manager Academy is a training program to provide necessary skills for new school district managers, or to school district employees, that work closely with their business managers, and desire training in the State of Washington specific fiscal forms and procedures as well as other business management topics. The course is given in eight full day training sessions over a nine-month period.

Compensated Absences Liability Pool

The pool is governed by an advisory board with a representative from each member district. The advisory board provides policy and procedural recommendations. Monthly contributions to the pool are made through the member district's payroll systems to fund future district payments of compensated absences. Annually, after the district has paid employees for annual leave buybacks and/or termination leave payments, the districts request reimbursement from the pool for costs of the leave.

Benefits
The NWESD Compensated Absences Liability Pool benefits member school districts in many ways:

• Operating costs are covered by the pool's investment earnings. Investment earnings in excess of operating costs are used to fund reimbursements to the districts.
• Districts' cost can be distributed over a period of time leveling the budget impact from year to year.
• Districts may charge a proportional share of the contributions to the Compensated Absences Liability Pool to all programs thus allowing all programs including Federal programs to share in the cost of termination leave payments.
• NWESD provides guidance in the preparation of the notes to financial statements to account for the Pool operation.

Evidence of Coverage

NWESD is a member of the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool, which is a self-insured pool of over 80 schools, and educational service districts in the State of Washington.  Districts participating in NWESD programs that need a copy of the NWESD insurance coverage for their records may print a copy of the coverage for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. 

Financial Support Services

Districts are able to contract with NWESD for full financial oversight and management. This service is designed to assist small districts that do not need a full-time, highly qualified business manager. Utilizing school district staff in the area of accounting, accounts payable/receivable, and human resources the NWESD provides professional business management services in consultation with the district superintendent. Services may be available for other districts that need transitional business management services based on a "resources available" basis.

Unemployment Compensation Pool

The pool is governed by an advisory board with a representative from each member district. An executive advisory board, comprised of eight members, provides policy and procedural recommendations; reducing risks and making unemployment related costs manageable for school districts.

Benefits
The NWESD Unemployment Pool benefits member school districts in many ways:

• Most operating costs are covered by the pool's investment earnings so current members, with required account balances, pay no fees.
• Districts' individual risks are reduced.
• Member districts are provided expert claims management services which reduces district cost of managing claims and claims costs.
• Member districts get immediate responses and expert claims management.
• The cost to individual districts is substantially less than the cost of participating in the State System.

Services
Key services provided by the Unemployment Pool includes:

• Representation through the review, hearing, and appeal processes.
• Loss prevention training program.
• Claims management reports members of the pool.