In the realm of community engagement, there are various tools and approaches that organizations can use to connect with their constituents. One such approach that borrows a best practice from classroom education is the "Gallery Walk”, a discussion technique allows students to be actively engaged as they walk throughout the classroom. They work together in small groups to share ideas and respond to meaningful questions, documents, images, problem-solving situations or texts.

Forecasting enrollments in K-12 education is a pivotal task for school business officials. This process is integral to the strategic planning and operational efficiency of school districts, especially in jurisdictions like North America where student population directly influences funding. An accurate projection of student enrollments is essential for budget planning, facilities management, and resource allocation.

Every school jurisdiction faces the challenging task of allocating funding when the needs of students always exceed available resources. With education being vital to shaping future generations, it's critical that resources are used effectively. One approach that many state and provincial governments have adopted to distribute education funds is the Weighted Student Model.

In many educational systems, annual district and school planning are mandatory processes aimed at improving educational outcomes. These plans often involve developing strategies to enhance standardized results, and they are a critical component of educational governance.

The budgeting process in any school district is a critical aspect of ensuring the effective allocation of resources to support student success. It requires a delicate balance between financial responsibility and meeting the diverse needs of students and schools.

Effective budgeting in the education sector is not just about allocating funds; it is about prioritizing student needs and achieving better educational outcomes. In recent years, school districts have embraced priority-based budgeting (PBB) as an innovative approach to align resources with educational priorities, improve student achievement, and ensure fiscal responsibility.

Budget planning for the 2020-2021 school year will be as unprecedented as everything else in the world today. The only thing school districts know for sure is re-entry plans won’t be finalized until the COVID-19 risk is known, likely sometime in August.

Everyone wants to make sure taxpayer dollars are being well spent. But how do schools determine what it means to spend money well?

With thousands of employees and millions of dollars in infrastructure, school districts are as complex and demanding as large corporations. Add in the extra layers of scrutiny that come from governments and even parents, and it’s no surprise that district budgeting is among the most complicated of financial operations.

Most of us would go cross-eyed if we had to go through the reams of highly technical budget information that Christine Lee administers as the director of finance for the Lethbridge School District No. 51.