Every practice a school business office needs. One accountable firm.
Run your entire business office through us, fill a single critical role, or bring us in for a defined project. Every engagement is led by a licensed New Jersey School Business Administrator.
Ways to engage
Full-time SBA & business office
A long-term, full-service contract: we serve as your permanent SBA and Board Secretary and run accounting, payroll, purchasing and reporting end to end. Available to every school type.
Interim SBA
A licensed SBA to cover a vacancy or lead your existing staff while you plan your next step.
Project-based
Charter applications and renewals, audit remediation, capital projects, payroll-only or a business office review.
The complete school business office, done the same way every time.
We use a systems approach: every recurring task follows a documented procedure, on a calendar, reviewed by a licensed SBA. Boards get predictable reporting, auditors get clean files, and your school gets continuity even when people change.
School Business Administrator
- Licensed NJ SBAs
- Qualified Purchasing Agents
- Treasurer of school monies
- Board Secretary
Finance & operations
- Bookkeeping and accounts payable
- Budgeting and budget analysis
- Treasurer and financial reports
- Audit preparation and support
- Purchasing and public bidding
- Risk management and insurance
- Accounting software implementation
- Federal free and reduced lunch
HR & payroll
- Payroll and payroll taxes
- Onboarding
- Benefits administration
- NJ pension reporting
- Employee handbooks
- Office staffing structure
Compliance & reporting
- Local, state and federal reporting
- Federal grant writing and management
- Policies and procedures
- Records retention
Governance & planning
- Agendas, motions and minutes
- Trustee compliance
- Finance training for boards
- Strategic planning guidance
- School reviews: finance, operations, special education and HR
Finance committees & reporting
- Finance committee meetings, prepared and led
- Complex and multi-entity financial reporting
- Lender, bond covenant and rating agency reporting
- Multi-year forecasts and scenario models
Studies & analysis
- Education finance studies
- Business office efficiency studies
- State aid and enrollment impact analysis
- School regionalization and consolidation studies (case study)
Charter development & renewal
- Phase I and II applications
- Application and renewal budgets
- Expansion scenarios
- 20+ charter renewals won
- 7 charter schools helped write and open; 2 now in Phase 2
Charter closure & mergers
- Charter school closure and wind-down
- Closure budgets, final audit and records
- Charter school mergers and consolidations
- Merger financial analysis and planning
- Board and NJDOE documentation
Owner-side protection on your largest financial risks.
Facility and construction projects carry some of the largest financial and compliance risks a school takes on. We serve as the school’s owner-side representative, making sure projects are procured correctly, payments are verified before the board approves them, and budgets stay on track.
We work alongside your architect, construction manager and attorney, looking at every decision through the lens of the school’s budget and audit.
- Capital project budgeting and funding plans
- Public bidding and contract procurement
- Pay application and change order review, with board resolutions
- Custodial, security and maintenance service contracts
- Insurance claims for property damage and building conditions
- Long-range facility and capital planning
Do you replace our architect or construction manager?
No. We work alongside them as the school’s financial and procurement representative, checking their work against the contract and the budget.
Guidance from people who do the work every day.
New Jersey school finance keeps changing: state aid formulas, reporting rules, grant conditions and audit expectations. Our guidance comes from working SBAs and QPAs, not outside consultants.
Most sessions are one-on-one, on site or virtual. We work through your own budget, audit findings and procedures, so your people leave knowing exactly what to do next. Small-group sessions for boards or staff are available.
- Coaching for new business office staff and school leaders
- Board guidance on budgets, financial reports and fiduciary duties
- Accounts payable, payroll and internal controls
- Purchasing under the NJ Public School Contracts Law
- Federal grant management (ESEA/ESSA and IDEA)
- Budget development and the NJ chart of accounts
- Audit preparation and corrective action plans
Capture every E-rate dollar your school is entitled to.
The federal E-rate program discounts internet access and internal network equipment for schools, but its filing windows, competitive bidding rules and documentation requirements trip up many business offices.
We’re adding full-service E-rate management, run by the same team that handles your purchasing and audits, so funding requests, procurement and records all line up.
- Technology needs planning and discount calculations
- FCC Form 470 and competitive bidding
- Bid evaluation and vendor selection documentation
- FCC Form 471 funding requests and PIA review responses
- Invoicing and reimbursement (Forms 472/474)
- CIPA compliance, records retention and audit support
Common questions
Do you work on site?
We combine on-site and remote work, with an emphasis on remote. We set your business office up to operate securely with ours, and we’re on site for board meetings, audits and key milestones.
Do you use AI?
Yes, as a tool, never as a substitute. AI helps our team reconcile, code and draft faster, but every number is reviewed and signed off by a licensed School Business Administrator with real New Jersey experience. AI doesn’t replace 20+ years of sound fiscal management and decision-making.
How are your fees set?
Fees depend on the size of the school, its annual budget and the scope of services. After an initial conversation we provide a written proposal with a fixed monthly fee or a project price.
How do we retain your services?
Request a proposal and we’ll schedule a call to understand your needs. Engagements are approved by your board under a written services agreement with SBO Management LLC.
Can you start quickly when our SBA leaves?
Yes. Interim coverage is one of our most common engagements, and we can begin immediately after board approval.
Where can we find your W-9 and business registration?
Our vendor documents are on the contact page.