Built by superintendents, for the people who run Texas districts

EAR gives district leaders the digital tools, financial clarity, and hands-on guidance to plan budgets, pass bonds, and run a compliant business office — from people who have sat in the chair.

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Explore the Budget Notebook

Talk to our team

total years of experience

years at Region 10 Education Service Center

years in school districts

years in school administration

Every tool we build, every hour of coaching we give, comes from years spent on the other side of the budget table.

Service 01 · Flagship Product

The Budget Notebook

EAR's flagship financial planning system for Texas school districts — an organized digital notebook with pre-built and customizable tabs, a calendar for the budget process, and a collaborative platform built for a team approach to budgeting.

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Pre-built & customizable budget tabs for every district structure

A shared calendar that keeps the whole budget process on track

One collaborative platform for boards, business offices, and campus leaders

What We Do

Ten ways we carry the load

Every service is grounded in real superintendent-level

experience — not theory, and not just spreadsheets.

Planning & Digital Notebooks. Financial systems built for daily use

The Budget Notebook

A digital notebook with customizable tabs, a budget calendar, and a collaborative platform for a team approach to budgeting.

Revenue Projection & Financial Modeling

Forecast funding with clarity, drawing on decades of firsthand work with state aid formulas, recapture, and tax rate mechanics.

Digital Notebooks, District-Wide

A growing suite covering Leadership, Principal, AP, Maintenance, Transportation, CTE, Special Education, and Teacher roles — adopt one or the full suite.

Compliance & Governance. Stay ahead of state and federal requirements

Compliance Monitoring

Stay ahead of federal and state spending requirements for Special Ed, ESSER, and other programs, from real district-level experience.

TRE / Bond Election Assistance

Communicate election information to stakeholders clearly and within legal bounds, led by people who have run their own TRE and bond elections.

Truth in Taxation Services

Navigate tax rate-setting requirements with the rigor and transparency expected of a public-facing superintendent.

People & Operations . Where budgets meet the people who run them

Staffing Pattern Analysis

A review of staffing data with efficiency recommendations grounded in superintendent-level experience, not just spreadsheets.

Construction / Bond Management

Carry the operational load of bond-funded projects, informed by having overseen construction management as a superintendent.

New Business Manager Coaching

The team will walk alongside new or experienced business managers over a 12-month or customized engagement.

Full-Service Business Office Solutions

Day-to-day business office support in compliance with TEA FASRG, GASB, and EDGAR — accounting, payroll, PEIMS, and board reporting.

Who We Are

Started by people who have sat in the chair

With over 105 years of combined experience in education, Mark Keahey, Allen Garner, and Hub Bares bring a deep understanding of school leadership, finance, and operations. Mark and Allen are former public school superintendents and lifelong educators who've dedicated their careers to helping districts achieve operational excellence.

Hub Bares serves as EAR's Business Specialist, bringing over 35 years of experience in corporate and public school finance and budgeting. As a retired school business manager, he adds deep, hands-on expertise in the day-to-day financial operations that keep districts running smoothly.

Through years of working alongside district leaders, the team saw a recurring need: practical, hands-on guidance for new and aspiring superintendents, CFOs, and business managers who want a strong foundation in school finance. The Budget Notebook and EAR's broader services grew directly out of that need.

Our Mission -

To empower education leaders with the knowledge, structure, and confidence to lead and manage districts, campuses, and departments effectively in the ever-changing education landscape.

Mark Keahey

Co-Founder

Former public school superintendent and lifelong educator, co-leading EAR's coaching and financial planning services.

Allen Garner

Co-Founder & AI Specialist

35+ years in Texas public schools, including 17 as a superintendent. Leads EAR's AI-powered tools and digital notebook systems.

Hub Bares

Business Specialist

35+ years in corporate and public school finance and budgeting. A retired school business manager with deep, hands-on expertise in day-to-day district finance.

From The Field

What superintendents say

Superintendent

“The Budget Notebook didn’t just give us software – it gave us an entire team that actually understands the budget. For the first time in 15 years, every single principal came to the table with real questions and ideas instead of blank stares. The built-in training academy is worth the subscription by itself

Superintendent

“We cut PEIMS coding errors by 88 % in the first year and had zero budget-related audit findings for the first time ever. New staff who used to take 9–12 months to get up to speed are now fully independent in 3 weeks. The training videos and sandbox simulations are pure gold

Superintendent

I used to dread budget season. Now I actually look forward to it. The principal-specific training path finally explained how my campus allocations really work, and the dashboards let me see exactly where every dollar goes. I feel empowered instead of overwhelmed – and my teachers notice the difference.