A school board has to work with a budget that can vary widely. The amount depends on factors such as district size, the number of students, staffing, facilities, transportation needs, and the educational services the district provides.
Some smaller districts operate with budgets in the millions of dollars, while large school systems may manage hundreds of millions or even billions. Your own district will already have its own priorities, expenses, and financial obligations when you run for a position on the board.
The money for a public-school budget generally comes from local, state, and federal sources. The share provided by each source varies considerably by state and district. Local funding often includes property taxes, while state aid may be based on enrollment, student needs, and other funding formulas.
Types of Educational Expenditures That School Board Members Oversee
Teacher and staff salaries and benefits: Employee compensation is often the largest part of a school district’s operating budget. This can include teachers, administrators, aides, counselors, maintenance employees, transportation staff, and other district workers.
Building maintenance: The cost of maintaining school buildings can be significant. Expenses may include cleaning, utilities, repairs, security, accessibility improvements, and major upgrades such as roofs, heating systems, or classroom renovations.
Textbooks and instructional materials: Districts pay for textbooks, classroom supplies, curriculum materials, library resources, laboratory equipment, and digital learning products.
Technology: Schools must maintain and update computer hardware, software, and other technology. Expenses may include:
- Network infrastructure and maintenance
- Educational software and digital-learning licenses
- Student and employee devices
- Internet service and technical support
- Cybersecurity and data protection
Transportation: The cost of maintaining and operating school buses can be significant. It depends partly on the size of the district, the distance students travel, and the number of students who require transportation. Costs may include fuel, drivers, training, repairs, safety inspections, and transportation for athletics and other activities.
Special education and student services: Specialized services and accommodations for students with disabilities may include teachers, aides, therapists, transportation, equipment, assistive technology, staff training, and facility modifications. Districts may also fund counseling, health services, English-language instruction, and other student-support programs.
Debt and capital projects: A district may also make payments on existing debt or budget for school construction, additions, renovations, vehicles, and major equipment. These costs may be handled differently from the regular operating budget.
Contentious School Budget Issues
Property taxes: Property taxes are an important source of local school funding in many districts. Taxpayers may oppose increases or question spending on new programs, staffing, construction, or other proposals.
Teacher salaries and benefits: Some parents and taxpayers believe employee compensation is too high, while others argue that teachers and support staff are underpaid or that better compensation is needed to recruit and retain qualified employees.
School safety: Parents may ask for additional security staff, building improvements, mental-health support, or emergency-planning measures. Others may question the cost or effectiveness of a proposed approach.
Technology: Parents and voters may disagree about spending on student devices, software, artificial-intelligence tools, cybersecurity, and digital learning. The board should consider both the educational value and the ongoing cost of maintaining the technology.
Special education services: Special education can require substantial resources, but districts also have legal obligations to provide appropriate services to eligible students. Board members need to understand both the financial impact and the district’s responsibilities.
These are only a few examples of contentious spending issues. School board members must listen to community concerns while considering student needs, legal requirements, employee contracts, available revenue, and the district’s long-term financial position.
What Is the Board’s Role in the Budget?
The superintendent and district staff typically prepare a proposed budget. School board members review it, ask questions, consider public input, request changes, and vote on the final proposal according to state and local procedures.
An individual board member doesn’t set or change the budget alone. The board acts as a governing body, and some districts also require voter or local-government approval.
What Should a Candidate Review?
Before promising specific spending increases, cuts, or tax changes, a candidate should review:
- The current adopted budget
- Recent audits and financial reports
- Enrollment and staffing trends
- Employee contracts and benefit costs
- Debt and capital-improvement plans
- Recent budget presentations and board minutes
An expense that appears easy to cut may be required by law, funded through restricted money, tied to a contract, or connected to another district service. Reviewing the district’s own documents will provide a better picture than relying on general assumptions about school spending.
