It is that time of year when cities and towns are preparing their budgets for presentation to the community for the coming year and Capital Strategic Solutions suggests that it is an opportune time to think about the message you wish to communicate in your budget document. Your district has already developed a system and a structure that has been used in the past and hopefully with great success. However, with the advent of electronic communications and the proliferation of sources for all kinds of information, school districts must invest time and energy into their own communication strategies and information sharing to ensure strong community support for their budget.
We believe that school districts can communicate their goals and challenges by developing a budget document that will inform and educate the community while also making a compelling and responsible case for support of the school district budget that is often the single largest piece of any city or town budget. There are many stakeholders in the budget approval process, so it is vital that the budget document addresses a wide range of interests and concerns while maintaining its focus on the ultimate approval of the budget.
The following are some data points and information that we suggest gathering to provide insight into your school system’s “budget drivers” so the community can understand what the district must manage in order to provide its students with the best possible educational experience that it can offer:
- Current School District Demographics
- Enrollments current and projected
- Staffing by type (teachers, administrators, support staff, etc.)
- Facilities with grades as well as their age and general condition
- Historical information
- 10-15 year look back on approved budgets
- 10-15 year look back on enrollments
- 10-15 year look back on staffing by type
- Proposed School District Budget
- Prior year
- Current year
- Proposed budget
- Departmental focus
- General Education costs/budget drivers
- Special Education costs/budget drivers
- Maintenance and Operations costs/budget drivers
- Transportation costs/budget drivers
- Other departmental costs/budget drivers
- Collective bargaining units/contract status
- Teachers
- Administrators
- Support Staff
- Aides/Assistants Staff
- Clerical Staff
- Administrative Staff (if organized as a bargaining unit)
- Maintenance Staff
- Food Services (if not contracted out)
- Transportation (if not contracted out)
- Comparable district data of surrounding/like districts from state report
- School district expenditures
- Per pupil expenditures
- Special Education expenditures
- Grants/other financial resources
- State aid to General Education
- State aid to Special Education
- Federal grants
- State grants
- Local grants, if any
- Revolving/revenue generating accounts
- Budget guidance from city/town
- Budget calendar
- Budget development process
- Internal budget meetings
- External budget meetings (required by city/town)
- Other Stakeholder meetings (optional)
- Community outreach/engagement
Do you need help preparing for the budget season and compiling this important information to tell your district’s budget story? At a time when staff and resources are low, Capital Strategic Solutions and our dedicated staff can use their decades of experience in school administration and municipal government to help you compile and prepare information that is crucial when it comes to explaining school budget needs to community members. Led by retired School Superintendent and Business Manager Ed Gotgart, our team is ready to jump in and assist you in developing your operating and capital budgets with a focus on sharing facts and information to better inform the public.
For more information about how school districts can communicate their goals and their challenges while developing their budget, contact us by emailing info@capital-strategic-solutions.com.