In this episode of School Business Insider, host John Brucato sits down with Elleka Yost, ASBO’s Director of Advocacy & Research, along with Trisha Schock and Jeff Hollamon, Chair and Vice Chair of the Legislative Advisory Committee (LAC), to explore what ASBO International is doing to protect and promote education funding at the federal level.

They discuss the 2025–2026 U.S. policy priorities, key legislative issues impacting school districts—from IDEA and Title I to AI, student meals, and loan forgiveness—and how the LAC builds bipartisan consensus on tough issues. You’ll also get an inside look at the upcoming Legislative Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. this July, and learn how you can get involved and make your voice heard.

Whether you're a veteran advocate or just getting started, this episode offers practical insights and timely updates from the frontlines of federal education policy.

🎧 Learn more at asbointl.org/advocacy

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Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

In this episode of School Business Insider, host John Brucato is joined by Cindy M. Reilmann, CPA, SFO, Chief Financial Officer, and Dr. Michael Maclin, Superintendent of Schools, from the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County.

Facing a projected $74 million deficit, SSD launched the Righting the Ship plan—a strategic roadmap designed to stabilize finances while preserving their mission to serve students with excellence. Cindy and Dr. Maclin share how they tackled tough decisions, developed a comprehensive staffing and cost-containment strategy, and fostered transparency and community trust throughout the process.

Tune in to hear valuable lessons in financial leadership, collaboration, and resilience that any school business professional can apply.

🛥️ Key Takeaways:

• Root causes behind SSD's financial challenges
• Key elements of the Righting the Ship plan
• Building stakeholder support during difficult changes
• Strategies for achieving long-term fiscal stability

🎧 Listen now and learn how bold leadership can turn financial storms into opportunities for stronger, more sustainable schools.

Contact School Business Insider:

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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

How do school leaders move beyond compliance and create budgets that reflect shared values? In this episode of School Business Insider, John Brucato sits down with Dr. Michael Juech, Assistant Superintendent of Operations for the Howard-Suamico School District in Wisconsin, to explore his thought-provoking article, "We Versus Me: Collaborative Resource Allocation and Budget Management."

Dr. Juech shares actionable strategies for engaging school leaders, staff, and board members in transparent, mission-driven budgeting processes. From shifting mindsets to navigating tough conversations, this episode is a must-listen for school business officials seeking to align resources with purpose — together.

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

Food procurement is one of the biggest challenges facing school business officials today. Between regulatory red tape, supply chain disruptions, and vendor relationships, school districts must navigate a complex system to ensure students receive nutritious meals.

In this episode of School Business Insider, host John Brucato is joined by Sacha Pouliot, SFO/RSBA, and Darin Crawford, MBA, RTSBA, to break down their work with the Food Advisory Procurement Workgroup. Together, they explore:

• Common procurement hurdles and inefficiencies
• Why schools can be “less-than-ideal” customers for vendors
• The impact of regulatory complexity on food sourcing
• The need for plain language and better vendor-school collaboration
• How electronic bidding & standardization can improve procurement

If your district is looking to streamline the RFP process, improve vendor relationships, and navigate food procurement more effectively, this episode is a must-listen!

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

As Congress considers major changes to Medicaid through budget reconciliation, schools across the country are at risk of losing critical funding that supports student health services. In this episode, we talk with Jessie Mandle, National Program Director at Healthy Schools Campaign, about the newly released report based on a national school Medicaid survey.

Jessie and John explore how districts—especially in rural areas—depend on Medicaid to fund services for students with disabilities and mental health needs, and what the ripple effects of cuts could look like. Learn what’s at stake, what Congress is considering, and how education leaders can advocate for continued funding.

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
  • LinkedIn
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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

School nutrition programs are under threat — and school business officials need to be prepared. In this episode of School Business Insider, we speak with Crystal FitzSimons, interim President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), about the latest policy proposals in Washington that could impact access to school meals.

Crystal breaks down potential changes to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and income verification requirements, and explains how these would affect school budgets and students’ access to healthy food. She also shares resources that school leaders can use to improve meal access and effectively advocate for nutrition programs in their districts.

Whether you're new to advocacy or deeply involved in child nutrition programs, this conversation will give you the insights and tools you need to protect the meals your students depend on.

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

Artificial intelligence is here, and it’s changing the way school business officials operate—if they know how to use it effectively. In this episode of School Business Insider, host John Brucato sits down with Aziz Aghayev, CEO of Flowlyst, to discuss how AI is transforming school finance operations, from budget forecasting to policy creation and meeting summaries.

Aziz shares:

• The Five Phases of AI Adoption SBOs go through
• How AI can boost productivity and reduce manual workload
• Practical use cases for ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and more
• The biggest misconceptions and fears about AI in education
• Time-saving hacks that can revolutionize your workflow

AI Tools Mentioned in This Episode:
🔹 ChatGPT – AI-powered assistant for text-based tasks (OpenAI)
🔹 Gemini – Google's AI for education and workflow automation (Google Gemini)
🔹 Perplexity AI – AI-powered research tool with sources (Perplexity AI)
🔹 Notebook LM – AI-powered document summarization and learning (Google Notebook LM)
🔹 Zapier – Workflow automation for integrating apps (Zapier)
🔹 Make.com – AI-driven task automation (Make.com)
🔹 Suno AI – AI-generated music for creative and professional use (Suno AI)
🔹 Fireflies.ai – AI meeting transcription and note-taking (Fireflies.ai)
🔹 Fathom – AI-powered meeting summarization (Fathom)
🔹 Google Sheets AI – AI-powered spreadsheet automation (Google Workspace)
🔹 Operator (ChatGPT) – AI automation for browser tasks (Coming soon to OpenAI Pro users)

If you’re curious about AI but unsure where to start, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help SBOs move from frustration to efficiency. Tune in now!

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...

Operational excellence has transformed industries like manufacturing and healthcare, but what about education? Can schools apply these same principles to streamline operations, maximize resources, and improve student outcomes?

In this follow-up conversation, I reconnect with Stephen Morales, Chief Executive of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) in the UK, to revisit our discussion on Operational Excellence (OPEX) in schools and explore how the movement has evolved over the past year.

We dive into the progress that’s been made since our last conversation, how schools and districts are responding to OPEX, and the biggest challenges in implementing these strategies. Stephen also shares insights into how early adopters are embedding OPEX into their strategic plans, what measurable impacts are emerging, and what’s next for expanding this approach internationally.

If you’re looking for ways to improve efficiency, eliminate wasted effort, and foster a more strategic, data-driven approach to school business operations, this episode is a must-listen.

Contact School Business Insider:

• Check us out on social media:
  • LinkedIn
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• Website: https://asbointl.org/SBI
• Email: podcast@asbointl.org

Make sure to like, subscribe and share for more great insider episodes!

Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the Association of School Business Officials International. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "ASBO International" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service. The presence of any advertising does not endorse, or imply endorsement of, any products or services by ASBO International.

ASBO International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective public office. The sharing of news or information concerning public policy issues or political campaigns and candidates are not, and should not be construed as, endorsements by ASBO Internatio...