CFO Interview Series: A Conversation with Scott Weltz, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Community Schools of Frankfort
Scott Weltz brings a interestingly unconventional path to school finance leadership. Now serving as Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations for the Community Schools of Frankfort, Scott spent the majority of his 30-plus-year career in education on the instructional and administrative side -- as a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal, and technology integrator.
Scott originally joined the district in a curriculum and instruction role. When the district experienced a leadership transition in its business office, he stepped into finance without hesitation. Not afraid of change and eager to learn, Scott brought a deep understanding of classroom realities, a collaborative leadership style, and a belief that finance should enable solutions rather than slow them down.
The responses below are written in Scott’s own voice and reflect his first-person perspective.
How do you think about your role as a school finance leader today?
My situation is probably a little unique. This is my 31st year in education, but only my third in school finance. For most of my career, I was on the other side of the table -- asking for resources, advocating for programs, and sometimes feeling frustrated when budgets dictated decisions.
Because of that background, I approach this role with a lot of empathy. My responsibility is to maintain and improve the fiscal health of the organization, which means sometimes saying yes and sometimes saying no. But if something aligns with our mission and helps kids learn, then my mindset is that we need to find a way to say yes eventually -- even if it’s not right now.
How does the finance function support the district beyond budgets and compliance?
No matter what initiative we’re discussing -- strategic planning, facilities, staffing, or technology -- someone is eventually going to ask, “Do we have the money for that?”
That’s why I believe the finance function should never be an afterthought. We need to be part of the conversation early. When I’m included at the beginning, I can help understand priorities, explore options, and shape solutions instead of reacting after decisions have already been made.
Finance isn’t just about approving or denying requests. It’s about helping leadership teams think through what’s possible and how to make it happen responsibly.
How do information, systems, and day-to-day workflows influence your effectiveness?
Nothing in school finance operates in a silo. Staffing, facilities, grants, and instruction all intersect, so I rely on a combination of historical data, financial reporting, and trusted partners depending on the situation.
Confidence in the numbers is critical. Financial software only gives you back what you put into it, so accuracy and consistency matter. Access to reliable, timely reports allows us to make informed decisions without second-guessing the data.
On a practical level, we try to make systems work for us instead of working harder around them. Giving directors read-only access to reports so they can get what they need without relying on someone else is a simple example, but it makes a big difference.
How have you approached modernization while keeping operations stable?
When I stepped into this role, we were doing an incredible amount of work on paper -- timecards, requisitions, approvals. It was slow, inefficient, and created unnecessary bottlenecks.
Moving to more digital workflows allowed us to distribute responsibility instead of centralizing it. Instead of one person entering everything, people across buildings can initiate requests, approvals happen quickly, and processes that once took weeks now take days or less.
That said, modernization has to be thoughtful. You have to pause and ask what you might be losing when you change a process -- and then make sure you address those gaps. The goal is efficiency without losing control or clarity.
What impact has this had on your team?
Efficiency cuts both ways. If you’re not careful, change can create overload and anxiety instead of relief. Communication matters a lot.
What I’ve noticed is that once the team gets comfortable and starts seeing the benefits, they become the ones pushing for more improvement. When they start bringing ideas to me, I know we’ve hit a turning point.
You earn back time through efficiency, and once that happens, you really can’t imagine going back to the old way.
What lessons have shaped how you lead change?
I’ve learned that you can’t be married to your ideas. When I bring something forward, I try to present it as a draft -- something we can throw darts at together and improve as a group.
Shared ownership creates buy-in. When people help shape the solution, they own it. Ideas evolve, and that’s a good thing. The end result is almost always better than what one person could have created alone.
What do you look for in a trusted partner?
In this role, I’ve been introduced to partners I never worked with earlier in my career -- software providers, construction managers, municipal advisors, underwriters.
The partners I trust most are available when we need them and feel like an extension of our team. They work to solve our problem instead of trying to sell us something. That matters.
You can have the best product in the world, but if you don’t have the right people representing it, it doesn’t help. Authenticity matters. I want partners who listen, understand our environment, and figure out how their solution fits our needs -- not the other way around.
What advice would you offer to other school finance leaders?
Be open. Be curious. Don’t be afraid of change.
Present ideas as collaborative instead of final. When people feel included, they feel empowered. The goal isn’t perfection on the first try -- it’s progress. Once a team builds confidence in its ability to adapt, momentum starts to build.
One thing people might not know about you?
I’m a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan. Growing up, the only way we could afford games was through a straight-A ticket program at school. Those trips with my dad made a lasting impression.
When Riverfront Stadium was torn down, I bought five of the original red seats at auction. They’re in my basement now -- a reminder of those moments and the memories that shaped me.
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