CASBO Professional Standards

Guiding principles to support the evolving role of school business professionals and form the foundation of daily decision-making.

With our role as stewards of public resources comes a demand for accountability, transparency and integrity. A formal set of professional standards is required now more than ever.

CASBO recognizes its vital role in supporting the education of students as well as supporting the instructional program and student achievement. CASBO further recognizes that its members are both mentors and evolving leaders in their individual fields of school business and, as such, are essential to the success of education.

As leaders, the need for high standards and professional business practices is crucial for all aspects of school operations. The action of the school business professional directly affects school districts, county offices of education, charter schools and other education organizations, as well as the local community, parents and students.

It is the goal of CASBO to delineate guiding principles via these professional standards to assist its members in understanding their individual roles, to provide tenets for daily practice that produce positive results, and to ensure that school business officials understand and demonstrate their abilities to:

Leadership and Professionalism

  • Execute and implement professional obligations and responsibilities with integrity.
  • Refuse to use their positions for gratification, preferential treatment or personal gain.
  • Pursue appropriate measures to correct failures of others to act in an ethical manner.
  • Engage in the improvement and growth of the profession through active participation in professional organizations, dissemination of professional knowledge and mentoring.
  • Understand the role of a leader and apply various models of organizational leadership as appropriate.
  • Confront the status quo when evidence exists that change is needed for the health and well-being of the organization.

Management, Operations and Organization

  • Implement and maintain quality business practices through teambuilding, conflict resolution, motivation and encouragement.
  • Develop and accomplish specific goals and objectives as required and essential to the ongoing operations of the organization.
  • Understand and use inherent strengths of personnel to maximize results.
  • Recognize both existing and potential problems and mitigate concerns by securing adequate and pertinent information to assuage concerns and conflict.
  • Accurately disseminate and communicate complex sets of data and critical information to stakeholders in articulate and easily understandable formats.

Safety and Well-Being

  • Support the principles of due process to protect the civil and human rights of all individuals.
  • Prioritize decision-making in consideration of the well-being of students, staff and stakeholders.
  • Promote safe and productive learning environments with respect to facilities, personnel and educational programs.

Policy, Regulations and Advocacy

  • Practice within the professional ethics, standards and policies of CASBO.
  • Execute, implement and uphold national, state and local laws, codes, regulations and policies.
  • Advocate for change where inconsistencies in professional ethics, standards, policies, laws, codes and regulations exist.
  • Identify the roles of schools, communities and special-interest groups and their influence on policymakers.
  • Advocate for professional conditions and resources that will improve learning environments, outcomes and delivery of educational programs.