Explore WASBO’s Live Virtual Learning Sessions

Get ready to close out the fiscal year with confidence! Join this engaging panel discussion featuring experienced professionals from school districts, the State Auditor’s Office (SAO), and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Panelists will share practical tips, common pitfalls to avoid, and proven strategies to help you navigate year-end processes smoothly. Whether you're looking to strengthen your internal controls, prepare for audits, or ensure accurate reporting, this session will provide real-world insights you can immediately apply in your district.

Bring your questions and take advantage of this opportunity to learn directly from experts who have been through it all!

Join the Washington Department of Revenue for an update on sales and use tax issues affecting school districts, including exemption requirements following ESSB 5814 and guidance on requesting refunds for taxes paid earlier this year.

Reconciling your F-197 doesn't have to be a once-a-year scramble. Join this practical session to learn how one district transformed its reconciliation process from an annual audit exercise into a manageable monthly routine.

The presenter will walk through a step-by-step approach to reconciling the F-197, share lessons learned while building and refining the process, and discuss strategies for identifying and resolving discrepancies before year-end. You'll also see examples of documentation and tools that can help make the process more efficient and sustainable.

Whether you're new to F-197 reconciliation or looking for ways to streamline your current practices, you'll leave with actionable ideas to improve accuracy, reduce stress, and gain confidence in your financial reporting throughout the year.

Prepare for the 2027 legislative session by learning more about WASBO’s legislative priorities and the issues they are designed to address.

Attendees will learn the rationale behind each priority, how the priorities support Washington’s public schools, and the important role school business officials play in advancing legislative priorities at the local level.

This session will also help participants gain confidence discussing legislative priorities with colleagues, district leadership, community stakeholders and others who can help support strong school business advocacy.

Curious about AI but not sure where to start? This beginner-friendly session is designed specifically for busy school business professionals looking to save time, reduce stress, and work more efficiently.

You’ll learn practical ways to use AI for everyday tasks like drafting emails, summarizing information, brainstorming ideas, organizing thoughts, and finding answers faster. We’ll also cover simple prompting techniques, privacy considerations, and real examples you can immediately apply in your role.

Whether you’re completely new to AI or just starting to explore its possibilities, this session will help you build confidence and walk away with tools that can save you time right away.

Learn how to connect WASBO’s legislative priorities to the unique needs, experiences and stories of your district.

This session will explore practical ways to communicate how legislative priorities impact students, staff and district operations, while building support with district leaders, school boards, community members and local legislators.

Attendees will also discuss how strong relationships and meaningful, ongoing communication can help strengthen advocacy efforts and influence decision-makers.

School business offices are busier than ever — and balancing constant demands can feel overwhelming. This practical and encouraging session will explore strategies for managing competing priorities, reducing stress, and staying focused during high-pressure times.

Participants will discuss real-world challenges, learn techniques for setting boundaries and prioritizing effectively, and walk away with actionable ideas to create more balance and sustainability in their workday.

Whether you’re feeling stretched thin or simply looking for new ways to stay grounded, this session will provide tools and perspective to help you move forward with confidence.

Gain a clearer understanding of Washington's Safety Net program and how it supports districts serving students with high-cost special education needs.

Presenters will share key requirements, application tips, common pitfalls and best practices that can help districts maximize reimbursement opportunities and strengthen collaboration between business and special education departments.

Whether you are new to Safety Net or looking to refine your process, this session will help make the work feel more manageable and approachable.

Get ready to engage with confidence during the 2027 legislative session.

This session will cover practical ways to submit effective public comments, understand when public testimony can have the greatest impact, prepare for legislative committee testimony and respond to advocacy alerts throughout session.

Participants will leave with a better understanding of why timely member engagement matters and how they can help amplify their district’s voice when advocacy opportunities arise.

The S-275 can be one of the most challenging reports districts complete each year — especially when unique staffing situations arise. Join this interactive panel discussion featuring experienced school finance and HR professionals as they walk through real-world S-275 scenarios and answer participant questions.

Topics may include coding challenges, staff assignments, unusual situations, common errors, and areas that frequently create confusion during reporting season. Panelists will share practical guidance, lessons learned, and tips to help you feel more confident in your reporting decisions.

Bring your questions and take advantage of this opportunity to learn from professionals who work through these scenarios every year.

Ethics plays a critical role in school business operations and decision-making. This interactive workshop will provide a practical overview of ethical responsibilities, professional standards, and common situations faced by school business professionals.

Participants will explore topics including ethics rules and regulations, conflicts of interest, accountability, professional conduct, and real-world scenarios that impact daily work in school districts. The session will also discuss how ethical decision-making supports trust, transparency, and strong organizational culture.

Whether you are new to school business or a seasoned professional, this workshop will offer valuable insights and practical takeaways you can apply immediately in your role.

Stay informed and prepared for the latest grant-related updates impacting Washington school districts. This session will provide an overview of key changes, important reminders, compliance considerations, and current guidance for the 2026–27 school year.

Presenters will discuss common grant management challenges, documentation expectations, reporting considerations, and updates districts should be monitoring throughout the year. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and hear practical insights from professionals working directly in this area.

Whether you manage grants daily or support grant-related processes, this session will help you stay current and confident.

Tired of staring at a blank page? Learn how AI can help you create polished, professional documents in a fraction of the time.

In this hands-on session, participants will explore how AI can assist with drafting procedures, job descriptions, presentations, summaries, emails, communications, meeting notes, and more. We’ll also discuss how to refine tone, improve clarity, and turn rough ideas into finished products quickly and efficiently.

Leadership isn’t limited to titles. School business professionals influence teams, decisions, and organizational culture every day — regardless of position.

This session will explore how to build trust, strengthen relationships, communicate effectively, and lead with confidence even when you aren’t the final decision-maker. Participants will discuss practical strategies for navigating challenges, collaborating across departments, and increasing their impact within their district.

Whether you supervise staff or simply want to strengthen your professional influence, this session will provide practical tools you can use immediately.

Feeling buried in tasks, spreadsheets, notes, and to-do lists? Discover how AI can help you stay organized, simplify workflows, and improve daily efficiency.

This session will focus on practical ways to use AI for organizing information, managing tasks, summarizing data, creating checklists, streamlining recurring work, and reducing administrative overload. Participants will see real examples tailored to school business office responsibilities and walk away with ideas they can implement right away.

If you’re looking for ways to save time and feel more in control of your workload, this session is for you.

School business professionals are often required to make important decisions under pressure. This session will explore strategies for making thoughtful, confident decisions during high-stakes situations while balancing risk, relationships, timelines, and competing priorities.

Participants will discuss practical approaches to problem-solving, communication, and navigating uncertainty, along with ways to build confidence and trust in their decision-making process.

Through real-world examples and discussion, attendees will gain tools to approach difficult situations with greater clarity and confidence.

Budget season can bring uncertainty, changing assumptions, and difficult decisions. This timely session will highlight key issues school districts should be monitoring as they prepare for the upcoming budget cycle.

Topics may include enrollment trends, staffing considerations, legislative impacts, financial forecasting, expenditure pressures, and other emerging issues affecting district budgets. Participants will also hear practical insights and strategies to help navigate conversations and planning processes within their districts.

Stay informed, ask questions, and walk away better prepared for the budget work ahead.

Too much information and not enough time to organize it? Learn how AI can help transform complex information into clear, concise, and professional reports.

This session will demonstrate practical ways to use AI for summarizing information, identifying key points, organizing content, creating executive summaries, and improving communication with leadership teams and school boards. Participants will also explore strategies for maintaining accuracy, clarity, and context when using AI tools.

Perfect for anyone who spends time preparing reports, presentations, or communications and wants to work smarter — not harder.

Difficult conversations are a normal part of professional life — but they don’t have to feel impossible. This session will provide practical strategies for approaching challenging discussions with greater confidence, professionalism, and clarity.

Participants will explore communication techniques, conflict response strategies, emotional awareness, and ways to maintain productive relationships even during stressful situations. Real-world examples and discussion will help attendees prepare for conversations involving staff, leadership, colleagues, and community members.

Walk away with tools to handle difficult conversations more effectively and with less stress.

Financial information can be complex — but communicating it clearly doesn’t have to be. This session will explore how AI can help school business professionals simplify budgeting tasks, organize financial information, and improve communication with stakeholders.

Participants will learn practical ways to use AI for budget summaries, forecasting support, board communication, presentation development, financial explanations, and organizing complex data into more understandable formats.

Whether you’re building reports, preparing presentations, or answering financial questions, this session will provide tools to help save time and improve clarity.

The role of school business professionals continues to evolve — and adapting to change is more important than ever. This session will focus on building professional capacity, navigating change, and preparing for future challenges and opportunities in school business.

Participants will reflect on growth, resilience, workload management, professional development, and ways to continue building confidence and effectiveness in their role. Discussion will also explore how to stay adaptable in a rapidly changing environment while avoiding burnout.

This session is designed to leave participants feeling encouraged, empowered, and prepared for what’s ahead.

AI tools are rapidly changing the way business offices operate — and there are practical opportunities to save time right now. In Part 1 of this two-part series, participants will explore AI tools and workflows that can improve efficiency, reduce repetitive work, and simplify everyday processes.

Topics may include task automation, communication support, document creation, workflow organization, meeting summaries, and practical examples specific to school business operations. The session will focus on realistic, approachable ways to begin integrating AI into daily work.

Participants will leave with practical ideas and strategies they can immediately start using in their district.

Take the next step in bringing AI into your business office operations. In Part 2 of this series, participants will build on foundational concepts and focus on implementation strategies, workflow integration, and long-term efficiency gains.

This session will explore how districts are beginning to incorporate AI into daily operations, lessons learned from early adoption, and ways to create sustainable, practical workflows that support staff and save time. Participants will also discuss challenges, considerations, and opportunities for future growth.

Whether you attended Part 1 or are joining for the first time, this session will provide valuable ideas and actionable takeaways to help modernize and streamline your work.

Additional details will be shared as the session date, time and description are confirmed.