Editorial

It's not too late to get involved in the school budget process

Posted

Tis the season of tax levies, enrollment projections and capital reserve funds. It’s school budget time, and all the local districts are now in full planning mode. Before you know it, the May 19 budget votes will be here.

While these spending plans, which add up to tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, are planned by administrators and Board of Education trustees, the process is not limited to those participants. The schools belong to the community, after all, and residents are just as vital to the budget planning process as superintendents, business officials, department heads and board members. It’s residents who will have the final say in May.

Some school boards have been actively discussing their budgets for several weeks. Others will make their first public presentations this week. But there’s still plenty of time for you to get involved.

Board members and administrators want a successful outcome at the polls in May, and they won’t get that if they put out a proposed budget that ignores the will of the public. It is important for residents to speak up while the budget development process is still going on. What programs are important to you? What kind of tax increase, if any, is acceptable?

The school district is the single biggest investment that taxpayers collectively make in their community. A good school district isn’t cheap, as it takes quality teachers, programs that go beyond the state mandates, a wealth of extracurricular activities and athletics, strong special-education and ESL services, and much more to ensure that every child gets an opportunity to graduate from high school prepared for the next step. The new buzz term in education is “college- and career-ready,” and that comes at a price.

That price must be acceptable to taxpayers, and that is why it is important for school officials to hear from residents ahead of time. The Board of Education, which makes the final decision on the budget before it is voted on, is directly elected by residents. The trustees are your representatives, and they’re there to represent your interests when it comes to education in your community.

Page 1 / 2