Budget Priorities
One of the biggest challenges in resource allocation is the change for individuals who have previously controlled specific budgets and have been connected solely to their building or department. The phrase and approach that have guided our team is “we versus me.” As much as elementary teachers can appreciate the desire for unique items that support their students, supplying them can’t come at the expense of the broader needs, such as new books or curriculum resources.
The early conversations in my tenure at HSSD, aside from COVID-19 expenditures, centered on curricular resources. We have worked collaboratively with our leadership team and shared throughout the organization the need to prioritize resources. There is still a question of how the budget choices made within “my budget” can support others and how others can provide those same opportunities in my time of greater needs.
Prioritization was not an easy process, and it has come with some fear and resistance.
Prioritization was not an easy process, and it has come with some fear and resistance. One of the biggest barriers was the common misconception, “If we don’t use it, we lose it.” To void that misconception, we have chosen strategically not to cut building and department budgets; specific examples can provide an impact. When a teaching and learning team can stand up and express to a room of key leaders that their fiscally responsible decision to make an early math adoption made it possible to provide additional trade books, it makes a difference.
Budget Season
Over the past few years, this district has taken a number of different approaches to developing the budget; the effort to find the best practice has been both difficult and necessary.
The current budget process begins with initial allocations outlined by the finance team and distributed to department and building leaders. Those individuals then request specific items that were not included in their initial allocation, and they identify areas where a reduction for that year is possible.
An example is the rhythm between the technology department and the teaching and learning department, where splitting or redesignating the allocations between the departments has been possible over the years. This collaboration has allowed the teams to better prepare and strategize on their future planning.
Beyond our initial allocations, the cabinet, or strategic leadership team, meets with department heads who are proposing larger-scale projects or major items that will significantly exceed their allocation, such as library media center resources and remodeling, technology improvements, and implementation of new curricular resources. The strategic leadership team makes all staffing decisions and has a built-in role in the budget review.
Throughout this process, communication has been critical. We all know that finances are a sensitive topic for district personnel, and any changes can be perceived as personal. Our administrative colleagues must understand the entire budget process so they realize the larger impact that budget management has on the entire organization.
Shareholders considering school referenda find budget information important to their decisions. Consistent, understandable messaging can provide individuals with the knowledge to be informed budget managers and teammates who will benefit from the financial goals of the organization.
This district’s approach is an example of how collaboration and focus can lead to financial accountability. A team prepared to be financial advocates provides a solid start to managing the budget.