A school board has to work with budgets that vary widely, often referred to as the school board budget. District budgets can range from a few hundred thousand dollars to several million dollars. It depends on factors such as district size, the number of students, and existing educational resources.
Your own district will already have its own priorities when you run for a position on the board. The money for the school budget comes from contributions from local community, the state, and the federal government.
Types of educational expenditures that school board members oversee:
Teacher salaries: Depending on the size of the district, teacher salaries can range widely. It is often a significant chunk of the annual budget.
Building maintenance: The cost of maintaining school buildings can be significant. There are expenses such as cleaning, repairs, and upgrades. Simply repairing a school roof can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Textbooks and instructional materials: These costs can add up to several thousand dollars per classroom budget, per year.
Technology: Schools must maintain and update computer hardware, software, and other tech.
- Network infrastructure improvements and maintenance
- Licenses for educational software and digital learning platforms
- Purchases of student devices like tablets and laptops
- Internet service fees and cybersecurity measures
Transportation: The cost of maintaining and operating school buses can be significant. This is mostly based on the size of the district and the number of students that require transportation.
- Fuel costs for daily routes and extracurricular activities
- Salaries and training for bus drivers
- Regular maintenance and safety inspections of the bus fleet
- Costs associated with field trips and sports team transportation
Special education services: Specialized services and accommodations for students with disabilities can include staffing, equipment, and other resources. Costs can range from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars per student, per year.
- Specialized instructional materials and assistive technologies
- Professional development and training for special education staff
- Adaptations to facilities to ensure accessibility
- Additional support staff such as aides and therapists
The most contentious spending issues within a school district include:
Property taxes: Property taxes provide most of the funding sources for schools today. Some taxpayers often feel that they are paying too much in school taxes. They may oppose tax increases or the school budget allocation for new education or construction projects.
Teacher salaries and benefits: Some parents and taxpayers feel that teachers are overpaid and enjoy too many benefits. Others argue that teachers are underpaid and undervalued for the important work they do.
School safety: With concerns about school shootings and other acts of violence, many parents demand increased school security measures. However, others feel that additional measures are too expensive or even unnecessary.
Technology: Some parents and voters may question the need for schools to invest in technology, such as tablets and laptops for students. They may argue that paying for school tech is not necessary, or that traditional methods of instruction should be used.
Special education services: Some feel that too much of the budget is spent on special education services. Others want to dedicate more resources to support students with disabilities.
These are just a few examples of the most contentious spending issues. School board members must listen to all these concerns and engage in school financial planning to decide what is both in the best interest of students and the entire community.
The budget is typically set by the district superintendent and the school board members. Along with district staff, everyone must ensure that resources are being used properly to provide the best education possible for the students. Community involvement is also important to address the school district financial challenges and to ensure student-centered budgeting.