Questions to ask your school district about the budget

Resources

General Budget Questions:

  1. What is the total budget for the current fiscal year? What was it last year? 
  2. Where is the budget posted for public viewing? Are public hearings held on the Annual School Budget? 
  3. How has the district’s enrollment changed since 2020?
  4. What percentage of the budget is allocated for instructional vs. administrative purposes?
  5. Are there any anticipated changes or fluctuations in revenue sources for the upcoming year?  
  6. Are there any new initiatives or programs being introduced, expanded, or reduced in the upcoming year? Are there any new initiatives or programs that will be discontinued or cancelled due to lack of funding? 
  7. What is the district’s total annual spend on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or DEI? How many positions are in that department? How many DEI staff have been hired since 2020?
  8. How many reading and math specialists/interventionists have been hired since 2020? 
  9. What metrics are used to evaluate the effectiveness of budget allocations on student success?
  10. When is the district’s policy on conducting an independent audit? When, if ever, was an independent audit conducted?

Questions about ESSER Funding:

  1. What is ESSER?
  2. Where can I find how my district spent its ESSER funds?
  3. Who controls how and when ESSER funds are spent?
  4. What is the district’s plan to address extended funding once ESSER funds are depleted? How will ESSER-funded staff and programs be sustained?
Understanding School Budget Jargon