SCCPSS Financial Division Awarded Certificate of Excellence

Staff Report

Thursday, September 8th, 2022

The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) has once again awarded the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE). ASBO International's COE recognizes districts that have met the program's high standards for financial reporting and transparency. The school district earned the Certificate of Excellence for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended 2021.   This is the 28th year that the SCCPSS Finance Division has won the award.  The first time was in 1994.
 
“The COE's mission is to promote and recognize excellence in financial reporting, specifically through a district's CAFR," ASBO International Executive Director David Lewis says. “The CAFR informs stakeholders about the financial and economic state of the district, making it an important communications tool for building trust and engaging with the school community."
 
By participating in the COE program, school districts demonstrate their commitment to financial transparency. Applicants submit their CAFR for review by a team of financial professionals, who provide feedback to improve future documents. If the CAFR meets the requirements of the program, the document may receive the Certificate of Excellence. A district's participation in the COE program can facilitate bond rating and continuing bond disclosure processes.