How Districts Can Begin Preparing for Looming Budget Cuts
October 22, 2020
Long term financial considerations are quickly becoming a top concern for district and school leaders as federal stimulus discussions falter and local budget projections increasingly show massive shortfalls in communities across the nation. In reviewing lessons learned from the 2008 Great Recession and the resulting impact on education budgets, Stephanie Spangler and Rebecca Gifford Goldberg of Bellwether Education Partners penned a piece discussing two financial levers that they recommend be used by districts and schools to brace for budget limitations now to identify the most effective and least harmful ways to adapt. The levers focus on reducing ongoing spending and making adjustments to long term investments, but also provide intentional ways for leaders to identify and maintain commitments to long term goals. The authors conclude, “With care, districts can make plans that keep students’ short-term needs and long-term outcomes front and center.”