General Soup Podcast Episode 5: Integrating Fiscal and Program Planning

In Episode 5 of NCSI's "General Soup" podcast, hosts Sara and Susan speak with Bryan Klimkiewicz and Tom Boudreau from the Connecticut Department of Education about their efforts to better integrate fiscal and program planning. We discuss Bryan and Tom’s leadership in ensuring that fiscal investments are responsive to student needs and create sustainable supports. We engage around questions including:

• How have Connecticut’s Sustainable Supports Summits changed how district teams work together?

• How have challenges and new investments related to the COVID 19 pandemic changed the approach to resource planning?

• What do coordinated fiscal and program planning look like in the special education division at the Connecticut Department of Education?

We also highlight related CIFR and NCSI resources to support states in meeting and communicating about fiscal requirements as well as intentional resource allocation. As always, we share some favorite soups and end with a soup joke!

https://thegeneralsoup.podbean.com/

Episode Show Notes

• You can download a copy of Tom and Bryan’s presentation on this topic 

• The NCSI Fiscal Support Team resources can be found at https://ncsi-library.wested.org/resources?t_id=85

• The Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFR) has many resources to help states better understand and communicate about IDEA fiscal requirements. You can find those resources and many others on the CIFR website at cifr.wested.org

• NCSI presented a three-part webinar series in 2020 sharing best practices for state special education agencies to make the best use of available resources during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but the principles are still the same:

  Managing Resources Effectively in Response to COVID-19
  Date/Time: Wednesday, May 13, 4pm Eastern/1pm Pacific – PowerPoint Slides, Chat Transcript, Video Recording

  Resource Planning for Students with Disabilities through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Balancing Legal Obligations and Available Resources to Maintain Student Progress
  Date/Time: Wednesday, May 20, 4pm Eastern/1pm Pacific – PowerPoint Slides (pdf) Link to Recording Chat Transcript

  Blending and Braiding Funds to Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 on the Most Vulnerable Students
  Date/Time: Wednesday, May 27, 4pm Eastern/1pm Pacific – PowerPoint Slides (pdf), Link to Recording, Chat Transcript, Referenced Material: 2019 ESEA Conference – Leveraging Funds Presentation

• Zucchini Chowder: https://theforkedspoon.com/healthy-corn-and-zucchini-chowder/

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew: https://damndelicious.net/2016/10/07/slow-cooker-beef-stew/

• Richmond Community Kitchen: https://richmondcommunitykitchen.com/

February 2022