Finance & Audit Committee Public Advisor

The School Board is seeking the expertise of independent and objective Public Advisors from the community for the School Board Finance & Audit Committee. Public Advisors hold volunteer, non-voting positions and serve with three School Board Directors on the Finance & Audit Committee.

The Finance & Audit Committee is a standing committee of the School Board chartered under Board Policy No. 1240, Committees to:

• Coordinate with the Superintendent and lead committee staff to develop an annual Finance & Audit Committee work plan
• Monitor all financial statements of the District
• Provide oversight of the budget development process, including recommending the budget timeline.
• Receive updates on changes to the Weighted Staffing Standard
• Provide supervision to the Office of Internal Audit, which reports to the Finance & Audit Committee, as outlined in Board Policy No. 6550, Internal Audit Policy, and Board Procedure 6550BP, Internal Audit Procedure
• Review the annual internal audit work plan
• Monitor corrective action plans implemented in response to internal audits and external audits conducted by the Washington State Auditors’ Office, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and other external organizations, except those that are sent to the Operations Committee for review
• Monitor Risk Management issues of the District

Role and Responsibilities

Public Advisors hold volunteer, non-voting positions and should, through education or experience, possess knowledge in performance auditing, accounting, finance, budgeting, management, operations, and information technology needed to evaluate the District’s financial reports, internal and external audits and reviews, and implementation of the District’s corrective action activities. Candidates possessing certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) are preferred. Governmental and school-district specific experience is also preferred but not required. Public Advisors shall be residents of King County.

Time Commitment

Public Advisors will generally serve staggered two-year terms with the option to renew (initial terms may be shortened to allow for staggering). The Finance & Audit Committee reserves the right to terminate a public advisor’s term early if necessary.

Public Advisors participate in meetings of the Finance & Audit Committee, which meet in person, or virtually via Teams every monthly except for July. A time commitment of up to 10 hours per month is expected, encompassing both meeting preparation and meeting time.

Independence and Objectivity

Public Advisors are expected to serve as independent and objective experts to help improve the District’s operations. Public Advisors must adhere to the District’s Ethics Policy and disclose any real or perceived conflicts to their independence. Public Advisors may not be a District employee or have direct or indirect business dealings with the District.

Apply to Serve as a Public Advisor to the Finance & Audit Committee

The School Board is accepting volunteer applications from community members interested in serving as Public Advisors. Applications will be reviewed, and appointments will be made by the Finance & Audit Committee chair.

To apply, submit an application using the form linked below. All relevant information should be provided within the application form, with the exception of a resume, which may be submitted by email as a PDF document. Questions and PDF resumes should be directed to the School Board Office at boardoffice@seattleschools.org.

Interviews may be scheduled with some or all applicants.

Submitted materials will be subject to public disclosure under the Washington State Public Records Act and may be posted publicly online with board meeting materials.