A school treasurer is the chief financial officer of a school district. School treasurers are trusted leaders who guide district leadership on fiscal matters. They are responsible for budgeting and forecasting, accounting, payroll, and managing assets. In addition, they communicate the school district’s financial status to district leaders and the community, maintaining transparency and trust while ensuring that the district’s resources are used effectively to support its mission of preparing students for the future. 

School treasurers come from diverse backgrounds. Some are current school employees, like teachers, administrators, and finance office staff. Others are experienced finance and accounting professionals who bring expertise to an educational setting.  College students studying finance or accounting may also pursue careers in school business, leading to treasurer roles. 

FAQ's

  • OASBO has Career Ambassadors in public school districts throughout the state who are eager to share their experiences. They also offer job-shadowing opportunities and coordinated internships. Get connected to a Career Ambassador in your part of the state by completing the information form below.
  • The information shared here is from the Experience Management Institute’s Ohio PK-12 Administrator Benchmark Pay Survey, 2022-2023.
     
    Participation in the benchmark pay survey was open to all PK-12 education organizations in Ohio. A majority of the data was self-reported while the remaining data was gathered from publicly available sources such as organization websites and collective bargaining agreements.
     
    Base pay for a school treasurer in the state of Ohio working in a public school district, education service center,  or career technical education center ranges based on the region, location type, and/or student count. According to data from the 2022-2023 Ohio PK-12 Administrator Benchmark Pay Survey, the pay for a treasurer on a 260-day contract ranges from $80,399.90 to $174,096.00.
  • There are a variety of places to seek support as you learn the ropes your first years on the job, and well into the future to make meaningful connections and earn continuing education for licensure maintenance.
     
    • Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) is a professional association providing support and services statewide to Ohio’s public school district finance and operations professionals. Offering a mentoring program for new school business professionals, continuing education, collaboration opportunities and more, it offers a multitude of programs for continued success.
    • Information Technology Centers support school districts’ tools and platforms and offer software training and services.
    • OASBO regional chapters and committees offer continuous learning and networking in your region of the state.

  • To see the official requirements needed to apply for a School Treasurer license, visit the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce's website. Below is a summary of requirements.

    To apply for a treasurer license, you must first meet these educational requirements: 

    A baccalaureate degree in business, plus:

    • A three-semester hour course in school law, and
    • A three-semester hour course in school finance
    OR

    A baccalaureate degree in a non-business area, plus:
    • Three semester hours in accounting, and
    • Six additional semester hours in accounting, business, or finance-related coursework (such as economics, statistics, information systems and operations management), and
    • A three-semester hour course in school law and a three-semester hour course in school finance.

     
    To satisfy field experience requirements, you must choose either option 1, 2 or 3 below: 

    Option 1: 300 Hour Supervised Internship (2.5 – 12 months to complete)

    Complete a 300-hour internship under the supervision of a current licensed school district treasurer/CFO.

    Option 2: Demonstrate & Document 2 Years of Related Work Experience

    Use two years of significant, full-time global fiscal officer responsibility in an organizational setting in place of the supervised 300-hour internship.

    Option 3: OASBO Pathway Program (4 – 12 months to complete)

    Ohio Department of Education & Workforce approved program, consisting of 6 courses, 100 question assessment, and Five-Year Forecast Capstone Project. Click here for more information.
     

    Upon completion of the above requirements, you can apply for your Treasurer License.

  • To see the official requirements needed to apply for a school business manager license, visit the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce’s website. Below is a summary of requirements.
     
    To apply for a business manager license, you must first meet these educational requirements: 
    • A baccalaureate degree in business
    OR
    • A baccalaureate degree in a nonbusiness area with 15 semester hours selected from at least four (4) of the following areas:
      • Accounting
      • Collective bargaining and labor relations
      • Computer applications
      • Food service management
      • Office administration
      • Personnel management
      • Purchasing
      • School finance
      • School law
      • Risk management
      • Transportation management
      • School plant management and operations
     
    To satisfy field experience requirements, you must choose either option 1 or 2 below: 
    • Option 1: 300 Hour Supervised Internship (2.5 – 12 months to complete)
      Complete a 300-hour internship in a school business manager’s office, under the direct supervision of a licensed school business manager.
    • Option 2: Demonstrate & Document 2 Years of Related Work Experience
    Use two years of experience as a business manager or as a supervisor or director of business services in an organizational setting in place of a supervised 300-hour school business manager internship.
     
    Upon completion of the above requirements, you can apply for your Business Manager License.