accounting presentation for high school students

Four Steps to Delightful Accounting Presentations

By Charles Hall | Technology

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In this article, I provide you with four steps to delightful accounting presentations–even if you are a CPA. Yes, this can be done!

If you’ve read the book  Presentation Zen , you know that many speakers –without intending to– hide their message . In watching CPE presentations and board presentations, I have noticed that (we) CPAs unwittingly hide our message. How? We present slide decks that look like intermediate accounting textbooks–chock full of facts, but too much to digest. And do we really believe that those attending will take those slides back to the office and study them?

Probably not.

My experience has been those slides end up in the office dungeon, never to be seen again. We  have one chance to communicate–in the session.

It is the presenter’s duty to cause learning .  So how can we  engage our audience (even those sitting on the back row playing with their cell phones)?   Let’s start with the slide deck.

1. Make Simple Slides

Make simple slides.

I try to have no more than two points per slide , and I leave out references to professional standards (at least on the slides).

What happens when you see a slide that looks like it contains the whole of War and Peace ? If you’re like me, you may think, “Are you kidding? You want me to consume all of that in the next three minutes. Forget it. I will not even try.” And then you begin to think about your golf game or your next vacation. So, how much information should you include on a slide?

Nancy Duarte recommends the glance test for each slide . “People should be able to comprehend it in three seconds.”

2. Include a picture related to the topic

Include a picture.

For example, if I am presenting to auditors, I might display a picture of someone being bribed. Verbal information is remembered about ten percent of the time. If a picture is included, the figure goes up to sixty-five percent. Quite a difference.

3. Tell a story (and ask questions)

Tell a story and ask questions.

People love stories. If your presentation is about bribes and you have not audited a bribery situation, Google bribes, and you will find all the stories you need. If you can’t find a story, use a hypothetical. Why? You are trying to draw your audience in–then maybe they will put that cell phone down (your most triumphant moment as a speaker!).

Telling your story at the right pace and volume is also important.

Also engage your audience with questions. Stories get the juices going; questions make them dig. And, if they answer you, there is dialog. And what’s the result? Those talking learn, the audience learns, and, yes, you learn.

Move. Not too much, but at least some.

A statue is not the desired effect. Moving like Michael Jackson is also not what you desire (moonwalking was never in my repertoire anyway). But movement, yes. I walk slowly from side to side (without moonwalking) and will, at times, move toward the audience when I want to make a point. So, am I constantly roaming? No. Balance is important.

Now, let me provide a few thoughts about presentation software and handouts.

Presentation Software and Handouts

Presentation Software

If you have an Apple computer, let me recommend Keynote  as your presentation software . I do think PowerPoint (for you Windows users) has improved, but personally, I prefer Keynote.

Another option—though there is a cost—is using Canva to create your slide deck . Your creativity is almost unlimited with this software—pictures, graphics, templates, colors, resizing, and more. Once the slides are created, you can download them as a PDF. Then present the slides (in the PDF) using the full screen option in Adobe Acrobat . I’ve done this a lot lately. Love it. 

Here’s a sample Canva slide:

If you need to provide detailed information, give your participants handouts (examples of what you are discussing).

I prefer not to provide copies of slides. Why? Your participants will read ahead. You want to keep your powder dry. If they already know what you’re going to say, they’ll stop listening.

Your Presentation Tips

What do you do to make your presentations sizzle?

About the Author

Charles Hall is a practicing CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner. For the last thirty-five years, he has primarily audited governments, nonprofits, and small businesses. He is the author of The Little Book of Local Government Fraud Prevention, The Why and How of Auditing, Audit Risk Assessment Made Easy, and Preparation of Financial Statements & Compilation Engagements. He frequently speaks at continuing education events. Charles consults with other CPA firms, assisting them with auditing and accounting issues.

Amit, I have seen Prezi on the Internet, but I have not used it myself – though it looks inviting. Have you tried it or have you seen anyone use it?

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AICPA Offers Free Online Accounting Learning Tools for High School Students

These online resources offer an introduction to accounting principles and personal financial management that they can use throughout their lives, regardless if they pursue a career in the accounting profession.

May. 28, 2020

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has several free online educational resources for teachers, parents and others to use to educate students about accounting and personal finance basics.

Schools and colleges across the country are closed, and many parents and teachers are looking for additional resources to broaden their children’s educations.

“An understanding of accounting principles and personal finance management gives students a solid foundation for a wide variety of college majors,” said Yvonne Hinson, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D. and academic in residence, Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “Teenagers and young adults, in particular, will also need to have a grasp of these concepts to help them as they transition into adulthood and their careers and begin making important financial decisions.”

While many high schools offer accounting courses, many students do not encounter accounting courses until college. These online resources offer an introduction to accounting principles and personal financial management that they can use throughout their lives, regardless if they pursue a career in the accounting profession.

Bank On It : Challenge students’ knowledge of accounting principles and personal financial planning with real, working world scenarios.

The game features more than 2,200 questions grouped by public accounting, business and industry, or non-profit accounting, as well as a financial literacy version that covers topics such as balancing a checkbook, understanding credit scores and student loans.

When students answer questions incorrectly, the game provides explanations to reinforce principles that are taught in the classroom.

Though Bank on It was designed for students, its interactive play and content are also an excellent resource for adults seeking to strengthen their accounting or financial literacy knowledge.

Virtual Field Trips : Visit the wonderful world of accounting—all in the comfort of your PJs. AICPA’s virtual field trips offer tours with 14 CPAs across different industries to explore their roles and to give an inside scoop on what it’s like to be an accountant.

These field trips give high-school age students the opportunity to prepare for a future career in business and to see how accounting is used in any career field as well as to ask questions about business, accounting or what it’s like to be a CPA.

Many other resources about majoring in accounting and the possibilities a career as a CPA affords, including links to free online learning platforms and virtual games, can be found at the AICPA’s Start Here, Go Places website.

To learn more about the resources available or to seek assistance with additional resources, go to  Start Here, Go Places  or email us at  [email protected] .

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Order free accounting career resources, potential, prestige & purpose: an introduction to the accounting profession (high school students).

This PowerPoint presentation is adapted from the Potential, Prestige & Purpose booklet and is a go-to resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the accounting profession. It describes what accountants do, details the benefits of becoming one, and explains the difference between accountants and CPAs. Use this presentation when speaking with high school students.

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VIEW ALL weARE WEBINARS Webinar Series on Accounting Research and Education

We are pleased to announce this is being offered – with free CPE – as an exclusive benefit to AAA Members.

Upcoming webinars and recordings of prior webinars are described  below.  Come join in a chance to be together, and work together, when it’s hard to get together.

Sep. 09, 2022 11:00 am Eastern

Introducing high school students to accounting.

Presenter:--> Margaret Christ, University of Georgia

Presenter:--> Henock Louis, Penn State University

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Accounting enrollments are declining despite steady demand for accounting graduates. With dual-enrollment programs and Advanced Placement coursework in high schools, many college students arrive on our campuses with college credits in hand and pre-selected majors in mind. Thus, we need to show them all of the pathways they have in accounting and how they can build their own roadmaps as a result of studying accounting in college and beyond. This is especially true for high school students from groups historically underrepresented in the accounting profession. In this weARE webinar, panelists will share ideas and programs to achieve this goal.

Learning objective(s): to learn about programs to interest high school students in the field of accounting., cpe information: personnel/human resources - 1.2 ch, program level: basic, prerequisites: none, advance preparation: none.

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4 fun activities for the accounting classroom

Accounting faculty members share some of their most memorable classroom activities..

• Accounting Education

Creativity is the key to keeping the current generation engaged in the classroom.

"Today's students have so many more distractions—buzzes and beeps from their cellphones letting them constantly know someone wants their attention," said Agatha Engel, CPA, assistant professor at Northern Virginia Community College in Woodbridge, Va. "You need to drown out the noise and keep the focus on your course topic. In other words, it only works if you keep the course interesting and challenging."

Here, Engel and three other accounting faculty members share their ideas:

Having students make a rap video: Rap videos wouldn't seem to mix well with accounting, but they're exactly the tool Melanie C. Fleming, CPA, assistant professor at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass., used in her ACC238 Financial Accounting class in 2016. She'd shown a YouTube video on credits and debits to previous classes, so she decided to try making her own rap video. She asked the students what topics should go into the lyrics and they began writing during class. Students used the school's green room and cameras to film the video and wore T-shirts with "credit" and "debit" images on them (purchased by Fleming, who spent several hours ironing on the images).

Editing the "Account on Me" video was more time-consuming than anyone expected, so the students opted not to put the final product online. Still, Fleming, who made the project 15% of the final grade, said her department chair and associate dean for business liked it. The students did as well.

"On my faculty evaluations, that was not only among their favorite parts of the class, but they also indicated that it helped them learn accounting," she said. Sometimes, she says, when she spots former students on campus, "we all break into a big smile."

Running a sandwich shop: For two decades, Billie M. Cunningham, Ph.D., has been using peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches to teach a variety of concepts in her introduction to accounting class. You read that right: Sandwiches. Cunningham, EY Teaching Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri–Columbia, says the lesson remains relevant and popular because it is short, done in class, builds on something students have likely done before, and is fun.

As they decide what types of sandwiches to make—creamy vs. crunchy peanut butter, strawberry vs. grape jelly—students learn a variety of lessons that include putting a cost on raw materials inventory, factoring in overhead, and tackling shrinkage. As they manufacture sandwiches in class, some students don red aprons. Acting as the manufacturing foreman, Cunningham wears a "Kiss the Cook" apron and a white chef's hat. Students get to eat the sandwiches afterward. The project itself isn't graded, but all those tasty lessons end up being about 3% of the final grade through related exam questions.

Cunningham, who used this idea in two classes totaling about 900 freshman and sophomore students each semester, plans to use the idea again in a smaller class. "The most surprising lesson for me is how much all the students get into this activity and how quickly they see the connection between the manufacturing process and the way these products are assigned costs," she said.

Incorporating podcasts into class: Engel credits traffic jams for her creativity. To pass time during her commute, she began tuning into podcasts. During class breaks, she'd use the topics as a conversation starter with students. To her surprise, they were quite interested.

That gave Engel, who left corporate accounting for academia in 2006, an idea. She began using podcasts related to the current course readings in her introductory and intermediate accounting classes. Her current favorite is NPR's How I Built This series. She recently linked one episode of that podcast featuring the story of Crate & Barrel , a housewares store, to cost accounting. Other podcasts she's used have discussed such companies as Aden+Anais , Patagonia , and Atari .

The podcasts "give a nice overview of what business life is about," she said. "And accounting is part of that."

Students listen to the podcasts outside of class and discuss them in class. The conversations aren't graded, but the topics help students "relate theory to practice," Engel explained. "It lets you experience business decisions secondhand."

Having students create personal budgets: Karen Braun, CPA, CGMA, Ph.D., a professor of accountancy at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, tasks students with making a detailed budget for life after graduation.

"Even though I teach in the business school there are so many students who still do not take these kind of financial lessons to heart for their own personal finances," said Braun. "It's kind of my social outreach."

Students research the salary they could make for a given job, the tax rates in areas they're considering living, and how much rent will be. The detailed plan, which takes a minimum of two hours outside of class and ends up being worth 2 percent of the final grade, has to include five realistic budget cuts, with frequent choices including having a roommate, learning to cook, giving up the daily latte, and not having cable.

The lesson comes with an unexpected bonus. Braun notes that students frequently say after completing their budgets: "I had no idea how hard it is to be self-sufficient, and I need to go thank my parents."

 "A lot of times they'll go talk to their parents, siblings, and roommates," she said. "I feel good about opening up the lines of communication between students and the important people in their lives about financial-decision making."

Have you come up with a great idea for an assignment or classroom activity? Tell us about it at [email protected] or the AICPA Academics LinkedIn group .

Dawn Wotapka is a Georgia-based freelance writer. To comment on this article, email lead editor Courtney Vien .

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• Financial Literacy for High School Students

Home » Financial Literacy » Resources for Teachers » Financial Literacy for High School Students

Are You Teaching Financial Literacy To High School Students?

The teaching curriculum consists of fourteen lesson plans & worksheets designed to augment a semester course in life skills and personal finance management. The Teacher’s Guide, compiled in a separate, easy-to-use notebook, includes an outline of the curriculum:

• Lesson objectives
• Suggested resources
• Teaching notes
• Chart indicating appropriate age groups for the key learnings offered in each lesson
• Presentation slides
• Answer keys to worksheets (when necessary)

Introductory Overview to Financial Literacy for High School Students

Lesson one: making personal finance decisions.

Each day, we are faced with many decisions. While most decisions are simple, such as “what should I wear?” or “what should I eat?,” others are more complex, such as “should I buy a new or used car?”  As decision-making skills are used and improved, a person’s quality of life is enhanced. Wiser choices result in better use of time, money, and other resources.  This introductory lesson provides students with an opportunity to learn more about decision-making. The lesson starts with an overview of the decision-making process followed by a discussion of various internal and external factors that affect decisions.

Teacher’s Guide –  Lesson One: Making Decisions

Student Guide – Lesson One: Making Decisions

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson One: Making Decisions

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson One: Making Decisions

Lesson Two: Making Money

Building your career is one of the surest ways to increase income and make money. When planning for the future, one of the most critical financial decisions is determining your career path.  In this lesson, students will be encouraged to consider various topics related to career planning and the financial aspects of employment. This variation of the decision-making process can help a person match personal abilities and interests with appropriate employment opportunities.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Two: Making Money

Student Guide – Lesson Two: Making Money

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Two: Making Money

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Two: Making Money

Lesson Three: The Art of Budgeting

A personal budget is a financial plan that allocates future income toward expenses, savings, and debt repayment. “Where does the money go?” is a common dilemma faced by many individuals and households when it comes to budgeting and money management.  Effective money management starts with a goal and a step-by-step plan for saving and spending. Financial goals should be realistic, be specific, have a timeframe, and imply an action to be taken. This lesson will encourage students to take the time and effort to develop their own personal financial goals and budget.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Three: The Art Of Budgeting

Student Guide – Lesson Three: The Art Of Budgeting

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Three: The Art Of Budgeting

Teachers Power Point Presentation – Lesson Three: The Art Of Budgeting

Lesson Four: Living on Your Own

As young people grow up, a common goal is to live on their own. However, the challenges of independent living are often quite different from their expectations. This lesson provides a reality check for students as they investigate the costs associated with moving, obtaining furniture and appliances, and renting an apartment.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Four: Living On Your Own

Student Guide  – Lesson Four: Living On Your Own

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Four: Living On Your Own

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Four: Living On Your Own

Lesson Five: Buying a Home

For many, buying a home is the single most important financial decision they will make in their lifetime.  However, the process of becoming a first-time homebuyer can be overwhelming, and requires a foundation for basic home-buying knowledge.  This lesson will provide students with information on buying a home and where and how to begin the process. After comparing the differences between renting and buying, students will be introduced to a five-step process for home buying. This framework provides an overview for the activities involved with selecting and purchasing a home.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Five: Buying A Home

Student Guide – Lesson Five: Buying A Home

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Five: Buying A Home

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Five: Buying A Home

Lesson Six: Banking Services

If the fee for an ATM transaction to withdraw money is $1 and a person withdraws money twice a week, the banking fees for that person will be $104 a year. Over a five-year period, those fees invested at five percent would grow to more than $570.  Most students know that banks and other financial institutions (credit unions, savings and loan associations) offer a variety of services. However, few people know how to make wise choices when using financial services. In this lesson, students will learn about the different types of financial service products available and the features of each.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Six: Banking Services

Student Guide – Lesson Six: Banking Services

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Six: Banking Services

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Six: Banking Services

Lesson Seven: Credit

In today’s world, credit is integrated into everyday life. From renting a car to reserving an airline ticket or hotel room, credit cards have become a necessary convenience. However, using credit wisely is critical to building a solid credit history and maintaining fiscal fitness. While most students have a general idea about the advantages and disadvantages of credit, this lesson provides an opportunity to discuss these issues in more detail.

Teachers Guide – Lesson Seven: Credit

Student Guide – Lesson Seven: Credit

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Seven: Credit

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Seven: Credit

Lesson Eight: Credit Cards

What is APR? What is a grace period? What are transaction fees?  These and other questions will be answered in this lesson as students learn about credit cards, and the different types of cards available and features of each, such as bank cards, store cards, and travel and entertainment cards.

As students start to shop for their first (or next) credit card, this lesson will make them aware of various costs and features. Included in this section is a discussion of the methods for calculating finance charges.  Various federal laws protect our rights as we apply for and use credit cards, such as procedures for disputes and protection from card theft and fraud. In this lesson, students will also be given an opportunity to analyze the information contained on a credit card statement.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Eight: Credit Cards

Student Guide – Lesson Eight: Credit Cards

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Eight: Credit Cards

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Eight: Credit Cards

Lesson Nine: Cars and Loans

“Should I buy a new car or a used car?”  “Where is the best place to finance my automobile purchase?”  “Is it better to take the rebate or the low-rate financing plan?”  These are typical questions asked by people buying vehicles. In this lesson, students are asked to identify costs associated with owning and operating a motor vehicle. Since these costs are commonly underestimated, guidelines are provided on how much to spend when buying vehicles.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Nine: Cars And Loans

Student Guide – Lesson Nine: Cars And Loans

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Nine: Cars And Loans

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Nine: Cars And Loans

Lesson Ten: The Influence of Advertising

In today’s modern world, advertising seems to be everywhere we look; online, television, billboards, magazines, newspapers, on buses, grocery carts, even cell phones.  In addition, some forms of advertising can be subliminal, such as the strategically-placed soda can in a movie. We can’t help but be influenced and manipulated as consumers. In this lesson, students will become aware of the various techniques and appeals used to influence consumer behavior.

Teachers Guide – Lesson Ten: The Influence Of Advertising

Lesson 10: The Influence of Advertising – High School Student Guide

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Ten: The Influence Of Advertising

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Ten: The Influence Of Advertising

Lesson Eleven: Consumer Awareness

Decisions, decisions. With so many choices available to us, how can we be sure we’re making the right decision?  Wise consumer buying starts with a plan. Using a systematic purchasing strategy will provide students with an ability to make more effective purchases. Comparative shopping techniques will be discussed to encourage students to carefully consider price, product attributes, warranties, and store policies. Next, this lesson covers a variety of buying methods, such as buying clubs, shopping by phone, catalogs, online, and door-to-door selling.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Eleven: Consumer Awareness

Student Guide – Lesson Eleven: Consumer Awareness

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Eleven: Consumer Awareness

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Eleven: Consumer Awareness

Lesson Twelve: Saving and Investing

Saving just 35 cents a day will result in more than $125 in a year. Small amounts saved and invested can easily grow into larger sums. However, a person must start to save.  This lesson provides students with a basic knowledge of saving and investing. The process starts with setting financial goals. Next, a commitment to saving is discussed.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Twelve: Saving And Investing

Student Guide – Lesson Twelve: Saving And Investing

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Twelve: Saving And Investing

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Twelve: Saving And Investing

Lesson Thirteen: In Trouble

The material in this lesson will help students become aware of the warning signs of financial difficulties. This lesson includes information on where to go for debt consolidation help and for nonprofit credit counseling .

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Thirteen: In Trouble

Student Guide – Lesson Thirteen: In Trouble

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Thirteen: In Trouble

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Thirteen: In Trouble

Lesson Fourteen: Consumer Privacy

In today’s information age, keeping your personal financial information private can be challenging. What you put on an application for a loan, your payment history, where you make purchases, and your account balances are but a few of the financial records that can be sold to third parties and other organizations.  This lesson, with attached budgeting activities, will encourage high school students to take the time and effort to develop their own personal financial goals and spending behaviors.

Teacher’s Guide – Lesson Fourteen: Consumer Privacy

Student Guide – Lesson Fourteen: Consumer Privacy

Teacher’s Slide Presentation – Lesson Fourteen: Consumer Privacy

Teacher’s Power Point Presentation – Lesson Fourteen: Consumer Privacy

Supplementary Resources

In an effort to give you the most up-to-date information for teaching and making personal financial decisions, we’ve compiled the following lists of periodicals and organizations that can enhance your use of Practical Money Skills for Life.

More Resources for Students: The Cost of College 

The cost to attend college has soared faster than almost any segment of the economy over the last 30 years. The average cost for students attending a public university is up 213% ($3,190 in 1988 to $9,970 in 2018), while private school is up 129% ($15,160 to $34,740) over the same time period.

That’s the primary reason Americans are $1.4 trillion in debt on student loans.

The good news is that are hundreds of online sites offering tips on not just what it will cost, but what you can do to pay for it. So, take a deep breath and check out these sites that should help you find a college you can afford to attend.

• www.collegedata.com : This is a wonderful resource for everything from cost factors to how to apply to how to pay your own way.
• www.trends.collegeboard.org : They specialize in providing historical data on college pricing, financial aid and what your degree will be worth when you graduate.
• https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/prepare-for-college/choosing-schools/consider/costs : This is the site for the Department of Education, which provides approximately 67% of college financial aid. You will find detailed evaluation of costs and financial aid here.
• https://www.aie.org/ : This site offers answers on the cost of college, how to finance it and even how to manage money while you’re there.
• https://nces.ed.gov/ : This is a government site that collects and analyzes date from every college and provides accurate data on average cost of attendance.
• www.mykidscollegechoice.com : Very focused on finding a college you can afford and ways to pay for it.
• www.collegecountdown.com : Asks and answers questions about actual costs of college, school that fit you financially and how to evaluate offers you receive from colleges.

Other Resources for Teachers

• Debt Relief For Teachers
• Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers
• Financial Literacy for Teachers

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Private School Accounting & Finances

The challenges of running a private school have never been greater. Having witnessed the successes and challenges of many private schools over the years, we put together this guide containing best practices for managing your school's accounting and finances.

In reading, you'll learn what private school leadership teams, board members and finance staff need to know about their school's financial statements, budgeting, accounting and financial reporting, and more. 

Read the Full Guide Below

Don't Have Time To Read The Guide Now?

1. budgeting, 2. financial statements, 3. accounting & financial reporting, 4. planned giving arrangements, 5. internal controls, 1. budgeting.

The budgeting process is arguably one of the most important tools for creating a road map to your private school’s success. Planning and monitoring your budget can help you identify wasteful expenditures, adapt to financial changes and achieve your school’s financial goals.

Before You Start Your Budget

The budgeting process shouldn’t be limited to your school’s financial personnel; it should also include the board and senior leadership. A timeline for the process should be established, leaving adequate time for budget research, review and feedback. Finally, be prepared to document everything along the way, as good documentation will ensure that each participant understands his or her responsibilities and deadlines.

Following is a list of three of the most basic, but important, budgeting best practices you can implement for your private school.

Practice Income-based Budgeting

It’s important to budget primarily for income, basing income goals on conservative, reliable and realistic expectations. However, in order to accurately budget for income, you’ll need input and cooperation from all departments.

Budgeting tuition income can be difficult, e specially if enrollment numbers fluctu ate widely from year to year. It is best to rely on past history, adjusted for current economic impact, and always be a bit conservative on enrollment expectations.

If you budget tuition income conservatively, it should create a natural cushion in the overall budget if enrollment exceeds expectations. By budgeting tuition income this way, you’ll have a realistic target of the amount needed from the fundraising side of the income equation in your budget. This might be revenue raised through events or through contributions.

Be sure to understand the impact and timing of restricted contributions and their releases, as the timing might not impact the current year’s budget. We do not recommend including income projection “cushions” simply to balance the budget, as this can set up your school for a budget deficit if the projected income fails to hit its target. Establishing your income first will lay the groundwork for setting organizational and programmatic expenses for your school.

Tie Your Budget To Your School’s Mission And Goals

Revenue and expenses should be tied to your school’s mission and goals. Salaries for instructors, one of the largest expenditures, are variable based on the student/teacher ratio of your school’s teaching model. If you tie this expense to the enrollment targets you should have your largest variable expense under control.

When you review the other expenses based on your mission and goals, you will likely be able to identify expenses that can be reduced or eliminated, potentially saving your school money. These savings can then be applied to other purposes that are more closely tied to your school’s mission. The same approach should be taken when it comes to revenue. Are you, for example, putting a lot of time and energy into applying for a grant just because it might be available, even though it might not support your school’s mission?

Be Detailed, Detailed And More Detailed

The more detailed your budget is, the better your school’s leaders — some of whom might not have a financial background — will be able to see sources of revenue and expenditures. A detailed budget helps position your school’s leaders to make informed decisions.

Many budgets are approved by board and finance committee members who might not have knowledge about all of the school’s departments and programs. This can make it challenging for them to fully understand the budget that’s presented to them for approval.

When assumptions (expected income or expected expenses) are included in the budget, it can be even more difficult for non-financial people to understand. A detailed explanation of each assumption will allow your board members to fully understand and determine if that assumption is necessary and accurate.

A Final Word On Budgets

Remember, a budget is not just a tool to be used at the beginning of your school’s new year. Budgets should be compared to actual numbers on a regular basis to determine in real time how your school is performing.

As much as you should try to stick to your budget, be prepared for potential changes. Unexpected circumstances that occur during the year might require deviations from the original budget. When variations occur or changes are made, be sure to clearly communicate to everyone who will be impacted, and document the change, including what brought it about and when, how and why the variance occurred or the change was made.

Private School Budget Template

2. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Anyone on a private school’s leadership team and board of directors should have knowledge regarding the financial oversight of their school. In addition to addressing funding and expenditure challenges, there is a legal and professional responsibility for a school’s leadership team and board to protect their school’s assets. This includes overseeing the school’s financial activities and implementing policies and procedures to protect the organization.

Financial statements can be a valuable resource in helping understand and evaluate a school’s performance. Here’s what every private school leader and board member should know about financial statements.

Who Is Responsible For The School’s Financial Statements?

Although it’s the CPA firm that performs the audit, review or compilation of the school’s financial statements, a school’s financial statements remain the responsibility of the leadership team and board of directors. Although it is common for an independent CPA firm to assist with the preparation of financial statements, including footnotes, the only section of the statements the CPA assumes direct responsibility for is the Independent Auditor’s Report, known as the opinion letter.

In nonpublic company entities, like private schools, the school’s management is responsible for the presentation of the statements and the accompanying footnotes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). If the school does not assume responsibility for these principles, the CPA would encounter a scope limitation and is required to disclose that limitation in his or her report.

Although your school’s management might not include experts in GAAP, they should at least be able to review the financial statements and confirm that the information is presented correctly and that there are no misleading statements or material omissions. The leadership team and board of directors is responsible for ensuring that management fulfills its responsibilities for financial reporting and is ultimately responsible for reviewing and approving the financial statements.

How Financial Statements Are Presented

Even though there are certain financial statement disclosures required by GAAP, there is often flexibility in how these disclosures are presented. Usually, your school’s management and board can present information in the style and format they prefer. From a practical standpoint, the audit firm typically has a standard way of presenting certain information. However, management has the final say as long as the minimum disclosure requirements are met.

It is also important to note that management may always disclose more than the required minimum information if they feel that the information presents a clearer picture of their school and its operations.

Nuances Of Nonprofit Financial Reporting

Most private schools are nonprofits, meaning their financial statements differ significantly from commercial entity financial statements , since nonprofits do not present or operate on the concept of net income or profitability. Some of the key differences between nonprofit and for-profit financial reporting include:

Contributions  

One of the biggest differences between for-profit and nonprofit organizations lies in how income and contributions are reported. With a nonprofit, contributions or gifts often come with certain stipulations, which may relate to a purpose or time frame. Contributions and net assets should be clearly identified on your school’s financial statements as with or without donor restrictions, or permanently restricted, depending on their exact specifications.

Pledges Receivable 

Pledges receivable also vary based on an organization’s entity type. Pledges are generally co nsidered revenue in the year they are made, even though the funds may not have received and cannot be spent that year. This has the tendency to cause large fluctuations in the bottom line compared to a commercial entity that has a more stringent matching principle. This is because a nonprofit organization isn’t really tracking “net revenue” like a commercial entity. Rather, it reports changes in net assets.

If a pledge receivable is made with a condition, that condition must be met before the organization can recognize the gift as revenue. If pledges with conditions exist, they will not appear on the financial statements.

Measuring Your School’s Performance

You can gain a better understanding of your school’s operating efficiencies and performance by analyzing the data presented in the financial statements. There are three basic comparisons used to assess both revenue and expenditures: year-to-year, actual-to-budget and peer results.

Year-to-Year Comparisons  

Year-to-year comparisons reveal changes that occurred from the previous fiscal year to the current year. Management should be able to explain to the significant increases or decreases.

Actual-to-Budget Comparisons  

Actual-to-budget comparisons look at the actual results from operations next to what was projected by management and the board at the beginning of the fiscal year. These variances determine whether the budget process was accurate or whether unforeseen circumstances occurred during the year.

Board members should be informed of all budget amendments. It is reasonable to question results that significantly exceed or fall short of the budget.

Peer Analysis  

Peer analysis compares your school’s results with those of other similar private schools. However, when making comparisons among schools, it is important to keep differentiating factors in mind, including student population, teaching style, fundraising and the cost of tuition.

Key Ratio Analysis

Along with comparison analytics, you can also use ratios to better understand your school’s current position. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the large number of ratios you can consider, but there are a few simple ones that can provide useful information: student-teacher, cost-per-student and current ratio.

Interested in learning more about financial ratios?   Check out this article   on the top three financial ratios and benchmarks that nonprofits should know.

Student-Teacher Ratio  

The student-teacher ratio, calculated by dividing the total student population by the total number of teachers, determines the number of students per teacher. By comparing this calculation with those of prior years or expectations, you can determine whether the school is appropriately staffed for its current enrollment.

Cost-per-Student Ratio  

Cost-per-student ratio is calculated by taking the total expenses or a specific group of expenses, such as salaries, divided by the number of students, to determine the average cost per student. This is helpful in evaluating whether your cost of tuition is on target.

Current Ratio

The current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) is a liquidity ratio that estimates the school’s ability to meet its short-term obligations. A higher current ratio indicates a more likely ability to repay debts.

Moving Forward

Financial statements are an important tool for understanding your private school’s financial position, performance and direction. Moving ahead, use financial statements to make informed decisions for your school. One way to simplify this process is to distribute your school’s financial statements to the board a few days before a scheduled meeting. That way, board members can review the documents and prepare a list of questions for either management or the outside accountants.

Compare the financial statements to board meeting minutes, conversations with staff and your own knowledge of the organization to see if the information is consistent. If applicable, follow up on any findings or recommendations reported by the external auditors.

What Your Nonprofit's Financial Statements Reveal

3. ACCOUNTING & FINANCIAL REPORTING

How to avoid misstatements.

More so than other nonprofits, private schools are often operated like a for-profit entity given the competition, increased costs and scrutiny that schools face. Private school financial reporting is also unique and can be plagued by misclassifications or misstatements due to the complex accounting required for the different funding sources private schools receive.

Let's look at the top issues in private school financial reporting.

Classification Of Net Assets

Net assets should be included in one of two classes depending on the presence and type of donor-imposed restrictions:

• Net assets without donor restrictions
• Net assets with donor restrictions

The school and its board of directors cannot restrict net assets; only donors can restrict net assets. If the board determines that it wants to limit the use of certain net assets without donor restrictions, the net assets are considered board designated net assets. Net assets with donor restrictions are subject to donor-imposed restrictions that are temporary in nature, such as those that will be met by the passage of time or other events specified by the donor, or are perpetual in nature, where the donor stipulates that resources be maintained in perpetuity.

Revenue Recognition

Private school income is accounted for differently depending on the source of revenue. Tuition income is considered an exchange transaction and is recognized ratably over the term of the school year. Tuition payments received in advance are recorded as deferred revenue when received. On the other hand, contributions are recorded when received or pledged as support that is either with or without donor restrictions depending on the existence and nature of any donor restrictions.  

This can get much more complicated if the school maintains its books on a cash basis during the year instead of an accrual basis, which is typically the basis used for year-end audited financial statements. Conversion from cash to accrual is usually where some disconnect happens and something ends up wrong in the financials. While monitoring and budgeting cash is extremely important and easier to do on the cash basis, we recommend keeping the books on the accrual basis and then preparing Excel-based cash monitoring reports with an accrual basis change in net assets as the starting point and projecting cash position based on cash to accrual differences.   

Proper accounting for pledges depends on whether there are donor-imposed conditions, donor-imposed restrictions or both. Private schools need to carefully review the terms of the pledge to determine whether the pledge is conditional or unconditional, and with or without donor restrictions, as the accounting for each is different.

Unconditional pledges should be recognized, in full, as revenue in the year the pledge is made. If the unconditional pledge contains a donor-imposed restriction, it should be classified as with donor restrictions.

Conditional pledges should be recognized as revenue when the conditions are substantially met. This means an unconditional pledge is not recorded at all until the condition is fulfilled. One exception is if the money is actually received for a pledge but not available for use until the condition is met, the school would record the cash deposit and a liability instead of revenue.

Capital Campaigns

Private schools embark on capital campaigns because of the significant dollars that can be raised in a relatively short period of time. This can result in a large increase in revenue but a lesser increase in cash, as capital campaign pledges are usually paid to the organization over a period of years. Capital campaigns raise funds to renovate or construct buildings, develop athletic fields and facilities, initiate a new program or build an endowment.

Capital campaigns usually have explicit or implied restrictions in which the stated objective is to raise funds for a specific program or purpose. Although the donor may not have explicitly communicated the restriction, the stated objective of the capital campaign usually makes the donor’s restriction clear.

Parent Associations

Parent associations are organized to allow the parents to provide additional support to a school with the aim of enhancing the level of education. In addition to collecting dues, parent associations often sponsor fundraisers and special activities for students and faculty. If the parent association is formed under the federal employer identification number (EIN) of the private school, the activities of the parent association must be included with the activities of the private school. On the other hand, if the parent association is formed under a separate EIN, the activities of the parent association are not included with the private school. While it is parent associations that are often overlooked, these rules apply to any group activity that occurs under the auspices of the school if it is not separately incorporated.

Planned Giving

One of the many ways donors provide financial support to charitable organizations is through arrangements in which nonprofits receive benefits that are shared with other beneficiaries. These planned giving arrangements are commonly known as split interest agreements.

The most commonly used split interest agreements are:

Charitable lead annuity and unitrusts

Charitable remainder annuity and unitusts

Charitable gift annuities

Depending on the type of arrangement and who holds the assets, the school will either recognize the split interest agreement as contribution revenue along with the related assets and liabilities, or recognize its beneficial interest in the assets as an asset and contribution revenue when the school is notified of the split interest agreement’s existence.  

Unfortunately, nonprofits may not always be recording split interest agreements correctly or may not realize that they are a party to a split interest agreement at all. As a result, nonprofits might be understating assets, liabilities, revenue and net assets.

Endowments   are a common method private schools use to secure a steady income stream for the long term. Endowments represent donor gifts which are required to be invested in perpetuity or for a designated period of time. Endowments can also be amounts designated for long term investment by the private school’s board of directors. Endowments set up at the direction of the board are referred to as “quasi” endowments while donations with donor restrictions for the funds to be maintained and only income to be spent are true endowments.

The Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds (UPMIFA), in the absence of specific donor instructions, provides guidance regarding endowments and specifically sets standards for endowment spending and the preservation of the original gift in accordance with donor intent. UPMIFA mandates that earnings, unless otherwise instructed, be classified as donor restricted for legal purposes until they are appropriated for expenditure. It is critical for private schools to adopt investment and spending policies for endowment assets approved by the board of directors in order to maintain a predictable income stream.  

Note: Most states have adopted their own version of UPMIFA that have minor variations in regulations.

Deferred Compensation Plans

Private schools, like most nonprofits, often face the challenge of competing against for-profit companies to attract key employees. One option available to schools is to establish deferred compensation plans for key employees.

A deferred compensation agreement should be accounted for on an accrual basis in accordance with the terms of the agreement. In other words, the school should accrue deferred compensation costs so that the costs are recognized in the period the related services are performed. The costs accrued at the end of the employee’s service period should equal the present value of the benefits expected to be paid to the employee or beneficiaries. Misstatements occur because accounting and finance staff are not always aware of the agreements until cash payments begin. By then it’s too late, so it’s very important for the board and other members of the management team to keep the accounting and finance staff informed about all contracts so they can determine if anything should be recorded on the books.

Demystifying The Audit

4. PLANNED GIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Split interest agreements require special accounting treatment.

One of the many ways donors provide financial support to charitable organizations, including private schools, is by establishing trusts or other arrangements under which the nonprofit receives benefits that are shared with other beneficiaries. These planned giving arrangements are commonly known as split interest agreements.

The most commonly used split interest agreements are: charitable lead annuity and unitrusts, charitable remainder annuity, and unitrusts and charitable gift annuities.

Charitable Lead Trusts (CLT)

Under a CLT, the nonprofit receives periodic payments (the “lead” interest) during the term of the agreement. The payments may be for a fixed dollar amount, an arrangement called a charitable lead annuity trust or for a fixed percentage of the trust’s fair value as determined annually, known as a charitable lead unitrust. At the termination of the agreement, the remaining assets revert to the donor or the donor’s designated beneficiary (the “remainder” interest).

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT)

Under a CRT, the trust makes periodic payments to the donor (the “lead” interest) or the donor’s beneficiary during the term of the agreement. At the termination of the agreement, the remaining assets revert to the nonprofit (the “remainder” interest). The payments to the donor or beneficiary may be for a specified dollar amount, an arrangement called a charitable remainder annuity trust, or for a specified percentage of the trust’s fair value as determined annually, known as a charitable remainder unitrust.

Charitable Gift Annuities (CGA)

Under a CGA, the donor and nonprofit enter into an agreement whereby the donor contributes assets (typically cash or shares of stock) to the nonprofit in exchange for a promise by the nonprofit to pay a fixed amount for a specified period of time or for the life of the donor or beneficiaries designated by the donor. CGAs are similar to CRTs except that no trust exists. The assets received are held as general assets of the nonprofit and the annuity liability is a general obligation of the nonprofit.

Initial Recognition Of CLTs, CRTs And CGAs 

The initial recognition of CLTs and CRTs depends on who controls assets (whether or not the nonprofit is trustee).

When the nonprofit is not the trustee, a beneficial interest in trust and contribution revenue are recorded at fair value upon the creation of the trust. In cases where the nonprofit is the trustee, the nonprofit will recognize contribution revenue, assets held in trust and a liability for amounts held for others in the period in which the trust is established.  

Typically, present value techniques are used to determine the fair value of the contribution. Under a CLT, the fair value of the contribution can be estimated based on the present value of the future distributions to be received by the nonprofit as a beneficiary. Under a CRT, the fair value of the contribution can be estimated based on the fair value of the assets contributed by the donor less the fair value of the payments to be made to other beneficiaries.  

In the case of CGAs, the nonprofit should record a liability for the fair value (present value of the future payments if present value techniques are used) of the future payments to be made to the donor and contribution revenue for the difference between the assets received and the liability.  

Net Asset Classification  

Determining the classification of contribution revenues as with or without restrictions is another nuance of split interest agreements that must be considered.  

Contribution revenues recognized under split interest agreements are classified as with donor restrictions unless the donor has explicitly given the nonprofit immediate right to the assets without restrictions, in which case they would be classified as without donor restrictions.

5. INTERNAL CONTROLS

Concentrate internal controls on your biggest risks.

Nonprofit organizations that don’t exercise constant vigilance in adhering to internal controls open the door to fraud. For private schools, acts of fraud can cast an unwanted shadow on your school’s reputation, possibly warding off donors and future students.

While many nonprofit leaders want to believe that employees work at an organization as much for the mission as they do for the paycheck, sometimes that just isn’t the case. Unfortunately, weak economic conditions have only increased the likelihood of internal theft, making internal controls more important than ever. However, preventive theft and fraud measures can be upheld by regularly reviewing and updating your school’s internal controls and concentrating your energies on the biggest risks.

Narrow Your Focus On Most Risky Activities

A detailed internal controls list potentially contains hundreds of items related to everything from governance to financial statements to payroll to information technology. If your school has never drafted such a list, talk to your auditors or other financial advisors about doing so. However, most schools engage in far fewer risky activities compared to other entities and organizations and should, therefore, focus on a smaller group of controls. For example, a startup that’s putting donations to work as quickly as they come through the door probably doesn’t need to worry about investment and property management policies — at least not yet.

But such a nonprofit would benefit from implementing rules regarding cash receipts and disbursements. These include segregating duties (for example, the same staffer who accepts donations shouldn’t also record or deposit them), requiring dual signatures on checks and performing monthly bank reconciliations. Sometimes even segregation of duties isn’t practical, so you then have to rely on monitoring by someone outside of the process.

Cash and bank accounts have the greatest exposure to theft. Therefore, they require the greatest scrutiny and controls. Making sure receipts are recorded is important, meaning you need to have good controls to ensure that all of the efforts to raise funds pay off, with the money making it to the bank. Once in the bank you need to make sure disbursements are for legitimate organizational purposes.

Electronic banking can make it harder to enforce controls, but reviewing the transactions after they have posted is just as important as approving the disbursement. Whether the controls are done by segregation of duties or by compensating monitoring controls with additional review after the fact, one or the other is essential to avoid a terribly negative surprise that can prove to be a public embarrassment for any nonprofit.

Don’t Let Foxes Watch The Henhouse  

Even the best internal controls can’t protect your nonprofit from fraud if managers override them. Although auditors review internal controls, audits aren’t designed to detect every fraudulent act that could occur, especially management overrides. It’s a good idea to ask your auditor or someone experienced in fraud prevention to observe how well your organization is adhering to controls and to identify any potential risks.

One of your best lines of defense is your school’s board of directors. Your board can help prevent management-perpetrated fraud by:  

Overseeing annual audits

Ensuring that material weaknesses identified by auditors are addressed

Reviewing monthly bank reconcilements, investments reconciliations and analysis of other material accounts

Regularly reviewing financial statements

Signing off on completed IRS forms  

Your board might also stipulate additional policies, such as requiring the approval of at least one board member on the rare occasion a manager needs to override controls. Your board also should look for signs that managers aren’t following internal control policies to the letter — for example, failing to report risks and actual management overrides in a timely manner. Sloppy accounting and reporting errors and disputes with auditors and outside advisors are possible signs that a manager might be committing fraud.

Regularly Review Internal Controls

You and your staffers probably have a lot on your plates — so it’s understandable if internal controls occasionally get lax. Remedy such lapses as quickly as possible by reviewing with employees and managers alike the policies designed to control fraud.

Interested in learning more about fraud prevention?   These are the lessons learned   from a nonprofit that lost $160,000 in employee fraud.

About The Author

Lisa johnson, cpa.

Lisa helps private schools with accounting, audit and tax services. She is passionate about finding ways to help her clients become more efficient, whether it’s helping them strengthen their infrastructure, comply with complex government regulations or better understand their financial position. Learn more about Lisa here .

Gross, Mendelsohn & Associates provides accounting, audit, tax and consulting services to businesses, families and nonprofits throughout the Mid-Atlantic area.

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What to Consider

Capabilities.

From graphing to scientific to four-function, different types of calculators have vastly different capabilities. Be sure to choose one that serves your particular needs. Additionally, if you plan to use it for college entrance exams, make sure the model you are going to purchase is approved for use during testing.

Generally speaking, elementary and middle school students are best served by scientific calculators; high school students probably need graphing calculators; and professionals who work with numbers should look for accounting calculators.

Battery Life and Power Source

Speaking of college entrance exams, nothing could be worse than your calculator running out of power before you finish your test. Calculators are battery-powered, solar-powered, or a hybrid of both—and a few higher-end models are rechargeable. We recommend battery-powered calculators for most people, though simple four-function options can last for a while on the solar panel alone.

How We Selected

We read through a wide breadth of professional reviews to find consensus on the best calculators in a number of different categories. We also kept different coursework requirements, professional duties, and price points in mind, ensuring that our selections are useful to a wide range of people. We also made sure that the models we chose were from well-regarded companies, and considered the models we have and use around the office.

Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator

While the Texas Instrument TI-84 Plus is also available in a black-and-white version for slightly less money, we think the sharp backlit screen of its color edition is worth the expense—especially for college students and math professionals.

It’s a great choice for high school students, too. It comes loaded with MathPrint, which converts the equations to the same format you see in textbooks, and it’s approved for use during PSAT, SAT, and ACT college entrance exams, as well as AP exams that allow graphing calculators. It has a bunch of applications to expand the calculator’s functionality, as well as lots of images you can use for graphing.

Plus, it has a rechargeable battery that powers up with a USB cable. The TI-84 Plus is more expensive than most of the other models on this list, but it’s one of the best calculators money can buy.

Canon LS-82Z Handheld Calculator

For those whose calculating needs are minimal and for whom spending a lot on a calculator doesn’t add up (pun intended), the Canon LS-82Z four-function calculator is a great option.

Frequently priced under $10, it can handle square root functions and product dimensions, and also features a floating decimal point system. It’s dual-powered by battery and solar, so you won’t spend a lot of additional cash replacing batteries.

It doesn’t have the computing power of other models on the list, but the Canon LS-82Z is a dependable basic calculator.

Casio fx-115ESPLUS2 2nd Edition Advanced Scientific Calculator

If you’re on a budget and looking for a scientific calculator to tackle algebra, calculus, physics, or statistics problems, this Casio model is a great fit. The large four-line, 14-character display presents your formulas and results exactly as they would appear in a textbook, and a protective case keeps the unit from getting damaged in storage or during transport.

At just 3.68 ounces, it’s nice and lightweight, and the white color is an attractive aesthetic alternative to standard black calculators. For less than $20, it’s a great value, as well.

Sharp EL-W516TBSL 16-Digit Advanced Scientific Calculator

Students who need a scientific calculator should look no further than this Sharp 16-digit scientific calculator. Its most noticeable feature is a large, four-line screen that shows entered equations in condensed textbook form.

Powered by both solar and a battery, it offers seven different calculation modes—normal, stat, drill, complex, matrix, list, and equation. It’s capable of performing more than 600 functions and even algebra.

It comes in a nice glossy black hard case—but even better, it’s usually priced under $25, meaning it meets most students’ budgets as well.

Casio FX-9750GII Graphing Calculator

One of our favorite graphing calculators, the Casio FX-9750GII offers a lot of machine for the money. It can handle the needs of most students all the way through college, and has an interface that most should find very user-friendly.

Meanwhile, its backlit, high-res LCD display is easy to read, and this calculator can go for over 200 hours on four AAA batteries. It lacks some of the fancy features of higher-priced models, but handles most students’ needs. Plus, it’s approved for use with most exams, including PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP tests.

HP 12C Financial Calculator

With more than 120 different built-in functions, such as amortization, cash flow, and loan payments, this HP financial calculator makes quick work of your accounting—whether it’s personal or business-related. It’s also capable of data entry and calculations using the RPN system.

The HP 12c is compact and portable, yet its buttons are placed strategically to allow for ease of use, while its large 10-digit LCD display is easy on your eyes. Plus, it’s one of only two calculators allowed by the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute for its exam.

Casio CA-53W-1CR Calculator Watch

We had to include the classic Casio watch—it saved us in a pinch before smartphones and still looks just as stylish today. The simple functionality can help you split a bar tab or figure out gratuity for dinner, and it has a built-in timer and calendar (and clock, of course).

The resin armband and plastic case are highly durable and the watch is water resistant up to 100 meters. Obviously this watch won’t speed up your taxes or help you ace an SAT, but some nostalgic charm is always welcomed—especially when functional.

Danny Perez is a Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics with a focus on men's style, gear, and home goods. Recently, he was coordinator of partnership content at another product journalism outlet. Prior to that, he was a buyer for an independent men's shop in Houston, Texas, where he learned all about what makes great products great. He enjoys thrifting for 90s Broadway tees and vintage pajama sets. His spare time is occupied by watching movies and running to impress strangers on Strava.

Alex Rennie is a freelance writer who specializes in the Home Improvement, DIY, and Tool space. As a former residential and commercial carpenter, Alex uses his hands-on experience to write practical buying guides, how-to articles, and product reviews. His work has also appeared in Business Insider's Insider Picks, and before his writing career, he was a full-time carpenter living in New York City. There, he worked as part of a team designing, building, and installing large furniture pieces, as well as performing a variety of home repair and maintenance projects. Alex currently lives in Los Angeles, CA, and spends his free time exploring the beaches and mountains with his fiancé and their dog Louie.

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Parents call for US chastity speaker Jason Evert's talk at Central Coast all-girls high school to be cancelled

Parents at a Catholic school on the NSW Central Coast are outraged that a conservative American author and chastity promoter is scheduled to speak to female students this week.

An online petition, which has amassed more than 700 signatures overnight, is calling for Jason Evert's speech to students at St Joseph's Catholic College in East Gosford on Wednesday to be cancelled.

In 2020, several schools in Ireland cancelled planned talks by Mr Evert after concerns were raised about his views on sexuality, women and contraception.

He promotes chastity among teenagers and has previously described homosexuality as "disordered", although those references have since been removed from his book.

Kelly Lacey, who has a daughter in year 10 at the all-girls school, said she was "gobsmacked and appalled" at the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay's decision to organise the talk by Mr Evert.

"There is no way this man is speaking in front of my daughter," Ms Lacey said.

"If it means keeping them home from school that day, then that's what we will do.

"But I would prefer him just to be cancelled and to take a stand against the diocese."

Ms Lacey has filed a complaint with the diocese.

Sarah Greenaway, who also has a daughter at St Joseph's, said while Mr Evert was entitled to his views, it was problematic for the diocese to organise these talks given the ongoing discussions about gendered violence and women's rights in Australia.

"It's deeply problematic, given the climate that we're living in at the moment," she said.

"And I think it's bordering on irresponsible for the diocese to take our girls down that path."

A representative for the students at St Joseph's, who did not want to be named, said the session was not appropriate, especially "in light of the recent speech given at a Catholic university in America, where a man said the degrees are useless because women should be housewives".

"So, this man coming into an all-girls school and giving a talk about chastity, it's almost condescending about the place of women in society," the student said. 

Controversial views

Mr Evert founded an "outreach program" called the Chastity Project, which he has used to deliver speeches about relationships, marriage, sex and other topics to young people around the world.

His views are shared widely on his online platforms, as well as in books and podcasts.

He has compared men to dogs when talking about the need for women to dress modestly.

"It's like a dog who finally catches the mailman's truck," he said online.

"It's more than you want to handle. So, when you get the attention of men who want you for that, what's the end game here?"

The ABC has contacted Mr Evert for comment.

In a statement, the diocese said Mr Evert's sessions at Central Coast high schools would be delivered in a "non-judgemental and compassionate" way.

"[He] is a theologian, counsellor, husband and father … who has addressed millions of people across six continents about social issues and personal relationships," a spokesperson for the diocese said.

"In teaching young people about healthy relationships, Jason empowers students to make good decisions and respect themselves, their peers and their faith."

However, the spokesperson acknowledged the topics due to be discussed could be highly sensitive and said it would not be compulsory for students to attend the session.

Parents said they had only been informed that the session would not be compulsory until they raised concerns about it.

In a letter to St Joseph's parents, principal Carolina Murdoch said the feedback had been passed along to the Director of Schools, who then spoke to Mr Evert.

"Jason was grateful for the opportunity to receive the feedback and provided assurances that his presentation will be delivered in a very compassionate and charitable manner," the letter stated.

"[It will be] without judgement and with respect for all."

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2 injured in shooting at Missouri HS graduation, a day after gunfire near separate ceremony

Two people were injured after gunfire erupted at a high school graduation in Missouri on Sunday, just one day after shots reportedly rang out near a separate graduation ceremony in Kansas City.

Gunfire was reported around 2:33 p.m. local time at the Show Me Center, located on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, just as school resource officers with the Cape Girardeau Public School District were at the center for high school graduation, the Cape Girardeau Police Department said in a news release .

The officers detained a person of interest and rendered aid to the two victims, the release continued.

The two victims were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The person of interest is in the Cape Girardeau Police Department's custody.

Alcohol suspected in crash: Driver hits group of 16 family members, killing 2 and injuring 14 in Michigan

'No students or staff members were injured'

Howard Benyon, Cape Girardeau Public Schools superintendent, said on Facebook , "During our graduation ceremony today at the Show Me Center, an altercation occurred forcing us to stop the ceremony and evacuate the building."

"Fortunately, no students or staff members were injured and thanks to the assistance of staff members at the Show-Me Center, we were able to get everyone out of the building safely," Benyon continued.

Due to the incident, the school district will be "forced to reschedule the graduation ceremony at a later time," Benyon said.

"We want to plan an event that celebrates our graduates the way they deserve, but our priority at this time is working with police to aid their investigation of this situation," according to the superintendent.

Shots fired near DeLaSalle Education Center's graduation ceremony

Graduating seniors at DeLaSalle High School also had their ceremony interrupted by gunfire over the weekend.

The shots were reported around 3:35 p.m. on Saturday near the DeLaSalle Education Center's graduation, a Kansas City Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Phillip DiMartino told The Kansas City Star . No injuries were reported to police, the public information officer said.

Police do not believe the shooting had anything to do with the graduation, according to the spokesperson.

It is unclear if police have made any arrests related to the shooting.

USA TODAY contacted the Kansas City Police Department but did not receive a response.

DeLaSalle High School's graduation 'marred by an unforeseen event'

DeLaSalle responded to the shooting with a statement on the school's website saying, "Today, a tragic incident occurred during the high school graduation ceremony at DeLaSalle High School."

"What began as a beautiful day with over 500 families and guests celebrating our largest graduating class in 20 years was marred by an unforeseen event," the school said in the statement.

The school also confirmed that "no physical harm came to any students, families or staff attending the graduation," according to the statement.

"DeLaSalle High School prays for the safety of all of Kansas City, and our thoughts are with the community during this difficult time," the school said.

Big Law Recruiting Rush Puts More Pressure on Diverse Students

By Tatyana Monnay and Meghan Tribe

Big Law’s race to snatch up summer associates poses hurdles for diverse students.

Leading firms are now urging students to apply for coveted summer jobs before they finish their first year in law school, often as they’re juggling classes and preparing for finals. Several give candidates as little as two weeks to decide on offers that can chart the course of their careers.

The accelerated recruiting process gives students less time to adjust to the rigors of law school, let alone consider what they want to do after graduation. It forces firms to vet candidates based on just one semester of law school performance.

That’s particularly bad news for students who are the first in their families to attend law school, and who may be less prepared for what to expect in law school early on.

“The recruiting process is becoming less formalized and we see the disparate impact on those first-gen students,” said Nikia Gray, executive director at the National Association for Law Placement, a group of legal career professionals. “A lot of times, they’re kind of left in the dark about how law firms recruit and how they find their candidates.”

More than half (53%) of all Hispanic law students are the first in their families to attend law school, according to a survey by Indiana University. The share of first-generation students is also higher among Black (36%) and Asian (28%) students than their White counterparts (21%).

The new challenges for diverse students is one byproduct of Big Law’s accelerated competition to identify and lock down the best and brightest young lawyers as early as possible. It could end up backfiring and diminishing what gains they have made in diversifying junior talent, especially if firms don’t expand the pool of candidates.

“The playing field is not level,” said Dru Levasseur, director of DEI at the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. “If we continue to just do what we have done in the past, we’re just going to get who was already in Big Law and we’re going to miss out on talent.”

High Stakes

Summer associate roles are the most common path to Big Law careers for attorneys in training. Firms until recently filled the jobs through on-campus interviews, a formalized process set by individual schools with some suggested guardrails from NALP, that can come with coaching assistance.

Now, OCI has turned into a secondary hiring hub as top firms fight to round up the best students earlier than ever through direct online applications for these high-demand positions. Students who don’t apply early online risk losing traction to those that do.

“Getting a top job at a top firm in OCI is the conveyor belt for the rest of your career,” said Kate Reder Sheikh, an associate recruiting partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa.

Elite firms pay summer associates more than $30,000 for the temporary jobs. They also stock incoming first-year classes—where salaries start at $225,000 , before bonuses—with new graduates who previously worked as summer associates.

“There’s a structural disadvantage here in terms of the knowledge gap between people who know how to navigate the system and the people who don’t,” said a rising third-year student at the University of Chicago Law School. The first-generation law student said he applied to scores of law firms during his first year.

The disadvantage isn’t binary as in being aware or unaware of the new, pre-OCI process, he said. It’s more about knowing how to best approach firms and interact with their recruiters.

“Knowing how to phrase your emails so that you’re not coming off as very aggressive or not coming off as demanding, but rather you’re being inquisitive, and you want to learn more about situations,” is key, he said.

The student leaned heavily on classmates and his school’s career services office, he said. He also carefully studied his correspondence with firms.

“If I didn’t have the resources that I had,” the student said, “that would have completely put me off in the recruiting process.”

A first-generation University of Texas law student said he had one week to decide on a summer associate job with a Big Law firm, which he ultimately accepted. The student, who just completed his second year, turned to Reddit and law firm ranking service Vault as primary sources of information on potential employers.

“Students are trying to figure out what firms are better than others,” he said. “And the best quantifiable source that they have for that is the Vault rankings. So pretty much people were making decisions by ‘oh, Firm X is ranked Number Six and Firm Y is ranked Number Seven, so I’m going to number Number Six’.”

Early Pipeline Gains

Major law firms have largely failed to make good on promises to bolster diversity in their ranks after the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020 and the surge in social justice efforts that followed.

Still, firms have made some gains at the front of the pipeline.

The share of students of color in summer associate classes is up 12 percent since 2014, despite a slight dip last year, according to NALP. The increase was driven largely by a nearly 10-percent jump among women of color. Even though firms are now seeing some of the most diverse junior workforce, the progress isn’t translating to partner levels. Women and people of color are still significantly underrepresented in partnership ranks.

One popular tool for Big Law recruiters—diversity fellowships—has been watered down following the US Supreme Court’s ruling striking down affirmative action on college campuses last year. Multiple firms have changed the criteria for those programs in response to legal attacks from a conservative group, arguing that they discriminate against White men.

Students should lean on informal networks like affinity groups at their law schools to remain competitive, said Bryson Malcolm, a New York legal recruiter for Mosaic Search Partners. These “student organizations act as a proxy” for insider expertise legacy law students have coming into school.

“They’ve always been an important part of sharing information and passing down institutional knowledge,” said Malcolm, a 2020 first-gen Columbia Law grad.

‘Talent Is Everything’

Firms are starting earlier than ever “trying to attract talent because in our industry, talent is where it’s at,” said Scott Ellis, who was hiring partner for Foley & Lardner’s Houston office for the past decade. “Talent is everything.” While the firm has criteria it uses to weigh summer candidates, Ellis says the firm chooses to “look at the whole applicant as opposed to one data point.”

The race starts as early as April for first-year law students seeking summer associate jobs that start after their second year of school.

Several law schools have followed suit, moving up formal on-campus interviewing programs that had long served as the primary recruiting method for firms. Howard Law School bumped up its first OCI session to July, while Yale and Stanford moved theirs to June.

Advocates have for decades argued that law firms can improve diversity by loosening rigid recruiting standards that have little or no bearing on students’ likely success as lawyers. NALP’s Gray says firms often conflate a student’s school choice to their skill sets. “Diverse students don’t always understand that it’s going to be 10 times harder as a diverse student to get into those Big Law jobs, especially when you are at a lower ranked school,” said Jennifer Dickey, an associate at data security law firm Mullen Coughlin and a 2023 Chicago-Kent College of Law grad.

Going directly to candidates, rather than waiting for OCI, gives firms an opportunity to cast a wider net.

“You want to make sure that the pool of candidates that you’re considering is as diverse as possible and that just isn’t possible if all of the law firms are going to the same handful of schools—which is what we’ve been seeing,” NALP’s Gray said.

It shouldn’t be too difficult for large law firms to widen their approach, said Lauren Jackson, an associate dean in Howard University’s law student career services office.

“There are six HBCU law schools existing,” Jackson said. “There’s got to be somebody in one of your regional offices that can find a student pipeline to build.”

Law firms saw their associate rosters become more diverse in 2020-2021, when spiking demand sparked a recruiting war that had many looking beyond traditional talent pools. That includes candidates from outside of the country’s top 14 law schools.

“There is a lot of value checking the top 10% of a school they haven’t been to before,” MLA’s Sheikh said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Tatyana Monnay at [email protected] and Meghan Tribe at [email protected]

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chris Opfer at [email protected] ; Alessandra Rafferty at [email protected]

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