School leaders take on a colossal amount of responsibilities. One of the most important duties among those — financial management. However, many school leaders struggle with grasping the scope of their responsibilities and liabilities when it comes to accounting and finance. In fact, there was a recent study showing that a worrying majority of principals and administrators lacked financial literacy and a basic knowledge of bookkeeping.

The purpose of a school budget is straightforward — to create and implement a financial plan, which will support appropriate funding for all programs benefiting the students. We all know that the school budget has a deeper impact than simply keeping the school afloat. Through the pathway of best school budget practices, students will receive learning experiences of utmost quality and carry this knowledge into adult life. Despite its importance, the task of writing a budget may seem extremely daunting. That is why we at Your Agora broke down the complicated school budgeting process to a digestible guide.

Burnout has become an epidemic among educators of all school levels. A school leader’s professional world consists of overwhelming responsibilities, information perplexities, and emotional anxiety. It’s no wonder that the issue of burnout has long been cited as the reason so many educators leave the profession. How can we combat the feelings of exhaustion, despair and a sense of helplessness that result in such high turnover rates in our schools?

Why are schools failing? Before we explore school improvement strategies, it’s crucial to understand why so many schools fail. Aside from mismanagement and the socioeconomic status of the school and its students, many of the issues begin directly in the classroom. According to an academic journal article in JSTOR, schools fail for a number of reasons that occur in the classroom. The author identifies six factors of critical importance that cause low school performance:

Are you ready to present the best ESL curriculum to your ESL school? Have you perfectly integrated technology and interactive materials into your lessons? If so, then perfect! If not, then you should keep reading because we’re about to cover how you can make your curriculum the best it possibly can be for your ESL school!

Training educators with little or no ESL experience can be a daunting process. But, it doesn’t have to be if you have a good roadmap. In the second part of this series, we continue our journey through a prospective ESL teacher training course.

Ineffective teachers come with a hefty price tag. Research suggests that spending a single year with an egregiously underperforming teacher can cost a student as much as $1.4 million in lost lifetime earnings. They can also cause even the best-run ESL schools to lose valuable clients and credibility. A well-developed teacher evaluation plan, then, is essential for protecting both your students and your business.

Starting, running and improving an ESL school cannot take place without proper financial and operations management. Clear policies and procedures in the areas of finance, operations and risk are critical for a financially-sustainable school. By consistently implementing these policies and procedures, schools ensure their ability to serve current and future generations of students.

The past two decades have brought the second largest wave of immigration to the United States. Unfortunately, the states are struggling to keep up. Based on recent data by NPR, researchers found that no matter where they go to school, most ESL students are struggling due to having little or no access to quality instruction.