WASBO 2026: your go-to guide for school district resources

The Washington Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) is holding its annual conference this week in Tacoma, and team SAO will be there sharing the latest on financial reporting and auditing topics specifically for school districts.

If you're looking to explore the resources highlighted in our WASBO pamphlet, you're in the right place!

Throughout the conference and beyond, this webpage serves as a hub for helpful articles, tools, resources and guidance created to support school business officials across Washington – covering timely topics and offering references you can return to whenever you need them.

To stay up to date on all things auditing, like when we have our financial statement prep checklist available for the 2025-26 school year, sign up for SAO’s biweekly newsletter here.

Introducing the SAO Navigator: key resources and reminders for government employees, when you need them most

Whether you’re new to government or just want a refresher on where to find relevant resources, SAO’s Navigator for Government Employees can help. The Navigator brings together information and resources you’ll need when working with SAO, such as annual report filing assistance, key dates and deadlines, and much more. Bookmark the web page now to reference later!

You can also subscribe to the SAO Navigator e-newsletter here. Simply click the ‘Join our Email List’ button at the top to subscribe and receive regular updates and information at key points during the year.

Change Payment Requests: Six Signs of a Scam poster

Since 2016, Washington governments lost more than $38 million when government employees didn’t spot fraudulent “change payment” requests. To help governments recognize these scams early, we have designed a new poster: Change Payment Requests: Six Signs of a Scam. Print and display the poster (PDF) in your office for quick reference.

Staying compliant: How to manage ASB fund transfers

If your school is experiencing budget shortfalls, it’s essential to know which funding sources are appropriate to use — and which are not, such as Associated Student Body (ASB) funds. Check out our blog article about ASB fund transfers to help you manage those revenues.

Performance audit: How do our state’s Special Education Services stack up?

This audit examined whether any K-12 student populations were under identified for special education services and reviewed the funding for those services. We estimated schools identified close to the number of special education students as would be expected and also noted that persistent under-funding may be improved by 2025 legislation. Read about the performance audit and its results here.

FIT now includes school district data for fiscal year 2025

SAO's Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT) has six years of data from every school district in Washington. Look at your own district’s data, compare it with others and monitor your financial health with ease today.

Incident Response workshops help you prepare for a cyberattack

Contact the Center at Center@sao.wa.gov to learn more about SAO’s no-cost Incident Response Workshop, which focuses on the importance of a cyber incident response plan. Gain the tools necessary to build and implement an effective plan that will ensure your whole team is ready when a cyberattack happens.

Celebrating success with State Auditor Stewardship Awards

The State Auditor Stewardship Award (SASA) recognizes local governments that demonstrate exemplary financial stewardship and accountability. Congratulations to these commendable school districts that are recent recipients: 

• Lakewood School District

• Tahoma School District

• Highland School District

Coming soon: Financial statement prep checklist

To help you prepare your annual financial reporting package, SAO will publish an updated checklist for the 2025-26 school year soon. Watch our website or subscribe to our biweekly newsletter, In the Know with SAO, to keep up to date.

For more help

Remember, SAO is here to support you! Our Resource Library is packed with a variety of free guides, checklists, best practices and tools to assist Washington school districts in improving internal controls, grants management, procurement practices, financial reporting and cybersecurity. If you have specific technical accounting questions, submit them using our Help Desk in the client portal.