New SBO Authorization

The Iowa School Business Management Academy’s “New SBO Authorization Program” received State Board of Education approval, effective July 1, 2021, to serve as a provider of the New School Business Official (SBO) Authorization and Licensure Renewal Credit program for another seven-year period. The program is designed to provide school administrators and school business officials an efficient and effective way to develop high-level knowledge and skills in school finance and school business management that will foster leadership, innovation and service to Iowa’s students and schools. This two-year program includes 135 instructional hours, plus a one-year mentoring program, that are required for a new school business official to be eligible for a standard SBO authorization from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). The program is designed so that any new school business official can enter into the sequence of classes at any time during a given year, after being hired by an Iowa school district and having applied for/received either an initial or a temporary initial SBO authorization from the BOEE. Each school district in the state is required to employ an authorized SBO.

The SBO program timeline shows the two year progression.

There is a sequence of courses for year one of the SBO authorization.

The year two program of study has additional courses required for SBO authorization.


Congratulations to the following individuals for recently completing the New SBO Authorization Program:

Joie Creasman – Madrid CSD
Kimberly Dornbush – Northeast CSD
Aaron Giese – South O’Brien CSD
Ashley Kraber – Pella CSD
Thelma Martinez – Belmond-Klemme CSD
Nicole McCarville – Carroll CSD
Stephanie Newton – Mt. Ayr CSD
Amanda Skriloff – Mississippi Bend AEA
Kelly Stillwagon – North Cedar CSD
Katie Taylor – Starmont CSD
Michelle Thomas – Humboldt CSD
Andrea Vanderhoff – Newell-Fonda CSD
Melisa Venneman – Benton CSD
Maria Waller – Johnston CSD

In addition to the coursework, each was required to complete a one-year mentoring program. Upon completion of the New SBO Authorization Program, each school business official is eligible to convert his/her Initial SBO Authorization from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to a Standard SBO Authorization. 

Co-directors of ISBMA

  • Denise Ragias, dragias@iastate.edu, (cell) 641-821-8650
  • Carla Schimelfenig, carlas1@iastate.edu, (cell) 515-745-9712