Union Finances

The Finance Division is actually divided into several departments. These departments include Accounting, Payroll, Treasury, Financial Reporting, Federal Programs, and Human Resources. and Pupil Accounting coordinates enrollment and manages student statistics, working closely with Teaching and Learning.

The Finance Division develops and monitors the district’s budget, classifying revenues and expenditures correctly, and preparing all financial reports and statements. Staff also coordinate the annual audit and maintain compliance with all state and federal regulations and reports pertaining to the fiscal operations of the district.

The district’s finances are classified within several funds, including the general fund, building fund, child nutrition fund, the debt service fund, and bond funds.

The largest of these, the general fund, is used to pay salaries of teaching and support staff members, purchase classroom supplies and textbooks, and utility and insurance costs. On average, salaries and benefits make up more than 80 percent of general fund expenditures.

Revenues & Expenditures

For FY 2024-25, the General Fund (the District’s main operating fund), reported revenues of $155,719,555 and expenditures of $154,134,383.

Foundation (Formula) State Aid, the district’s single largest source of operating revenue, was $59,815,289. 2024-25 Ad Valorem revenues of $38,776,394 were received in the General Fund based on the district’s NAV (Net Assessed Valuation) of $1,094,662,621.

Total bonded indebtedness as of June 30, 2025, was $105,188,750 (principal and interest). Union maintains an excellent bond rating of AA+ from Standard & Poor’s.

The image is a pie chart that displays the revenue sources for a general fund, with the largest portion being State Aid at 52.21%, followed by Local Taxes at 27.17%, and other smaller revenue sources.

Caption: The graph shows a pie chart for revenues. The graph shows 4 percent for Intermediate or $5,510,623; 6 percent for local or $8,953,885; 25 percent for taxes levied/assessed or $38,776,394; 9 percent for federal or $14,272,002; 17 percent for state or $27,127,403; and 38 percent for state aid or $59,815,289.

A pie chart displaying the General Fund FY25 Expenditures by Function, with various categories such as Instruction, Student Support, and Operations & Maintenance.

Caption: The graph shows a pie chart for expenditures by function. The graph shows 5 percent for non-instruction services and other or $7,055,988; 4 percent for student transportation or $6,774,319; 8 percent for operations and maintenance or $12,523,843; 5 percent for business or $9,401,791; 7 percent for school administration or $10,957,020; 2 percent for general administration or $3,283,633; 5 percent for instructional support or $7,875,364; 9 percent for student support or $13,816,007; and 54 percent for instruction or $82,444,419.

2023-2024 Finance Division Highlights

Financial Reporting

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the top recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, was awarded to the Finance Division by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada. The district has received the award every year since 1992.

Union also earned the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), the highest recognition for a school district offered by ASBO. The district has received the award every year since 1991.

The district was also recognized by ASBO for excellence in budget presentation with the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA). The district has received the award every year since 2021.

Human Resources

Participated in 11 job fairs and recruited teachers and staff through 50 colleges and universities in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
Provided 52 sign-on bonuses to new hires through the City of Tulsa’s Vision 2025 program.
Provided tuition assistance to over 71 staff members working on undergraduate or graduate degrees.
Hosted 94 student teachers across the district, helping them develop their skills and complete their college requirements.

Payroll

Federal Programs

Union Federal Programs & Minigrants

Total Federal spent in FY21: $18,872,197.22
Total Federal spent in FY22: $17,972,243.67
Total Federal spent in FY23: $20,325,047.48
ESSER outside of IDEA spent in FY24: $18,565,224.92
ESSER IDEA spent in FY24: $191,824.82
Total ESSER of all grants spent in FY24: $7,814,081.51
Mini-grant expenditures FY24: $3,119,078.08

Purchasing

In 2024-25, the Union Purchasing and Supply Management Department consisted of four employees: a director, specialist, buyer and food procurement manager for child nutrition. The Purchasing Director also supervises and leads the district’s distribution center. The department is responsible for purchasing, sourcing, contracting, procurement compliance, disposal of surplus and distribution services.

The Union Distribution Center is the central hub for the receiving, warehousing and distribution of equipment and materials including food, custodial supplies, paper, computers, interactive boards, textbooks, school supplies and equipment. The Distribution Center has four full-time child nutrition-funded employees for receiving, storing and distribution of food and cafeteria supplies, four full-time employees who handle receiving, warehousing, delivery, surplus pickup and disposal, record storage, interschool mail service, e-waste recycling and disposal, and equipment and material relocation services and one (1) warehouse coordinator that overseas all warehouse day-to-day operations.

During 2024-2025, the district Purchasing Department fully implemented the ability to use Amazon as a supplier, expanding the district’s purchasing catalog to include an array of options while saving the district money. In addition, the Purchasing Department introduced an AI initiative. This initiative has helped increase purchasing procedural efficiencies while reducing errors.

Statistics

Sourcing transactions 601
Contracts reviewed 317
E-Procurement solicitations 29

Supply Management/Distribution Services

Distribution Center deliveries 5,525
Surplus work orders & moves 312
Items distributed 157,964
Items moved & picked up for surplus 6,523
Total items moved, picked up and delivered 164,488
Interschool mail deliveries 6,607
E-Waste recycling (lbs.) 2,290
Surplus auctions 147

Accounting

Purchase Orders – 5,986
Purchase Orders totaled – $81,633,393.21
Paper/EFT (electronic funds transfer) payments made – 6,618
Paper/EFT payments totaled – $55,273,530.90

The Accounts Payable team worked extremely hard in FY25, completing their first full year under new leadership. They continued their efforts converting district vendors to electronic payments and reached an all-time high, ending the fiscal year at 67% of payments made by electronic funds transfer. Accounts Payable management also worked closely alongside the Purchasing and Supply Management team in testing and adding Amazon to our growing list of suppliers, a move that has been very positively received by the district.

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the top recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, was award-ed to the Finance Division by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada. The district has received the award every year since 1992.

The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) recognized Union Public Schools for excellence in budget presentation with the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for excellence in budget presentation.

Finance staff group picture -spring 2024

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