Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) was awarded the Association of School Business Officials International Meritorious Budget Award and Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for excellence in budget presentation. The honors reflect HCDE’s commitment to sound fiscal management and budgetary policies.

HCDE earned the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for a 17th consecutive year, while it was awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for a 16th consecutive year.

The MBA and introductory Pathway to the MBA programs promote and recognize excellence in school budget presentation. School business officials can enhance skills in developing, analyzing and presenting a school system budget.

Participants submit their budget documents to a panel of school financial professionals who review the materials for compliance with the MBA criteria checklist and other requirements and provide feedback that districts and entities can use to improve their budget documents.

Among the comments in the executive summary, HCDE “provides the reader with a quick review of the data that follows” and the document is “easily understood by a layperson.”

The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award reflects HCDE’s commitment to the highest principles of governmental budgeting. The entity must satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. They showcase how well the budget serves as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device.

Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories and in the 14 mandatory criteria within those categories to receive the award.