A goal driven budget is a budget that will simply have campus goals aligned with district goals. This alignment will result in a common vision throughout the district. (Artebury, 2011). Districts that do not have a goal driven budget are wasting time and money in areas that may not be beneficial to the district, much less give to the common vision of the district. If a district is set on improving math scores, but are spending twice as much on science, then they are not focused on a goal driven budget. Making sure the goals we have are all measurable is very important. We want to be able to know if the money we are spending through our budget is having an impact on the scores. If not, we will need to focus our resources elsewhere.
My district has recently had a great focus on improving math and science scores throughout the district. Given this is a common vision with the entire district, we adequately spend money in the right areas. We budget for science and math coaches for campuses; we offer special programs that pay teachers for extra teaching. We meet regularly to make sure everyone is on the same page and are all still focused on the goals at hand. Focusing the correct financial resources in the right places all stem from having a goal driven budget and people in place that understand the vision.
Another goal of my district is to increase SAT and ACT testing numbers. Knowing this is a district goal, we pay for sophomores and juniors to take the PSAT and offer SAT prep classes through our schools. This is another example of a goal driven budget. We want to number of test takers to increase, so we spend money to make this happen.
I am sure, as Dr. Artebury stated, that there are many districts that do not have goal driven budgets and put their money here and there and hope for the best. This is not best practice and will likely end up negatively affecting the district. It is hard not to assume that everyone is doing things the right way, but many districts simply do not have it figured out.
I like your comments about your SAT and ACT scores; we have the same goals and do put money there for testing. I also like your example of setting goals to improve math scores but spending money on science. This is a very real case in many districts and/or on campuses; it can be difficult to keep the spending in perspective. Some programs by nature cost more; we have to make hard decisions at times. If we can always go back to goals as our basis for approving spending, then our job becomes a little easier.
ReplyDeleteInstead of instructional coaches in our district we have LCT's, which are lead content teachers. They still teach classes and it leaves little time for them to coach their teachers and help them improve in their craft of teaching.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your definition of a goal driven budget. It is essential to have a shared vision and the budget should be aligned with that shared vision. I am not sure either how districts do not have a goal driven budget. I agree it is not best practice.
ReplyDeleteYou are so true when saying that budgets should be aligned with the goals of the district. Our budgeting procedures for the past few years in Central Office were not goal driven, and we spent more than needed in various functions. The school board did not like this, and we are now in a reorganization state at Central Office. We lost the Superintendent and Director of Operations.
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