Focus on TUSD - December 2007

Managing the Money
Rendon Takes CEO Post of Educational Support Services
In her job of overseeing Renaissance 2010 in the Chicago Public School system, Beatriz Rendon was in charge of closing underperforming schools and replacing them with better performing options.

As the new TUSD Chief Executive Officer of Educational Support Services, Rendon wants to bring similar improvements to Tucson Unified School District. At a time when the District faces a $9.5 million budget shortfall, Rendon said she would focus on financial streamlining and stabilization.

She recommended a reflection process, a bottom-up look at the current structure and organization. "We need a cleansing process to determine which initiatives are still adding value in our world," she said. "We hope to look at this objectively without bias."

TUSD leaders will examine targeted areas, such as departmental budgets. "I have a plan to choose the areas that will be funded, but not which ones will be funded. But it will be ones with habitual shortfalls," she explained.

Rendon takes this responsibility seriously, saying that in a worst-case scenario, there is the reality that years of deficit spending could result in receivership by the state." TUSD has a responsibility, she believes, to have the employees feel that "they have a well functioning district."

To meet this goal, Rendon said leaders would develop a plan and a strategy to carry it out, and would keep everyone on board with their plans. Establishing financial stability, Rendon said, would improve the internal and external perception of the District and would establish credibility in and out of the District.

To accomplish this stabilization goal, Rendon, as a member of the budget override committee, recommended postponing an override vote until we "establish credibility that TUSD can manage its finances successfully. To achieve this, we need transparency and more than lip service. We need action. The Legislature needs to see we are taking steps to show we can manage our money."

The new TUSD Audit Committee, composed of volunteers with financial backgrounds, is not charged with auditing the District, but rather to be the public's eyes and ears on funding, she said. "Members can recommend practices, but they are not to serve as an outside auditor," she explained.

Rendon sees opportunities for growth and improvement in the District, and said she is not overwhelmed by the job ahead of her. "I am cognizant of the fact that largely what we're talking about is common sense," she pointed out. "What we want to do will employ some level of a cultural shift in how this District has operated. I expect it will be met with some resistance. It won't be a walk in the park."

Beatriz Rendon Bio

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations

TUSD - Proud Supporter of Small Classes

Photos in the December issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations, unless otherwise noted.

The deadline to submit material for the January Focus is Friday, Jan. 11. The Focus will be published Monday, Jan. 21. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.