Leading district finances during a time of financial turmoil

District leaders face tremendous challenges given the pandemic-fueled financial turmoil and shifts in school delivery. They’re being asked to balance budgets in the face of on-again, off-again reopening scenarios — all set against a backdrop of unpredictable state revenues for K-12 education. We’re compiling resources to help district leaders navigate this unprecedented time.

We recently hosted a workshop with state and district leaders working on developing ARP ESSER spending plans. In one activity they considered a set of cost equivalent investment options ($500 per student) and in this group there was strong support for giving dollars to schools in per student increments.

Presentations and webinars

The financial outlook for public education is changing rapidly. These presentation slides and webinars can help guide districts as they consider financial plans for the coming months and year. If you are interested in joining future webinars please email Laura.Anderson@georgetown.edu.

District budget decisions and labor implications

We’re tracking district budget decisions, based on news reports and, where feasible, budget and school board documents. While our effort doesn’t provide an exhaustive national picture, it does offer a hit-or-miss, selective snapshot of a fast-moving situation.

What we are learning