Understanding School Budgets and Purchasing

Typically, most music teachers - along with music merchants, concerned parents, and those who understand the importance of music education at an early age - are shocked when they learn that programs in music and the other arts are in jeopardy due to budget cutbacks.  Well, they shouldn't be!  Those who are surprised by budget reductions are either unaware of, or have not tracked the year-long process that school districts go through to build a budget.

Public hearings occur toward the end of the annual budget cycle because before a budget can be official, it must be published and offered for citizen comment.  The lateness of the public hearings in the cycle usually leaves only a short time to ask questions and propose changes.

As part of our responsibility as concerned citizens, as well as educators, business people, and parents, we need to monitor what is happening.  By becoming involved early in the cycle, the budget will offer us no surprises.