Rosemount Area School District Earns Budget Award (Again)

For the second year in a row, the District 196 Finance Department has received the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International.

District 196 includes all or part of Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Coates, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville and Empire and Vermillion townships.

The Meritorious Budget Award program promotes and recognizes excellence in school budget presentation. The award is conferred only on school districts that have met or exceeded the program's stringent criteria, following a rigorous review by professional auditors.

Last year, District 196 was one of only two districts in Minnesota and 150 nationwide to receive the Meritorious Budget Award. This year's award, which runs through June, is for the 2016-17 budget year, according to a news release.

"The budget is a fine document, which includes a wealth of information in graphic and narrative form," the reviewers said in statement. "It is user-friendly for the average taxpayer with lots of data presented in different forms to meet the needs of varied users. It demonstrates the district's commitment to fiscal transparency."

The Meritorious Budget Award is based on the district's preliminary budget.

The District 196 Finance Department has also received ASBO's Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for 14 years in a row for the preparation and issuance of the comprehensive annual financial report.

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