Education Budgets Must Consider Sustainability

Educational leaders welcome budget increases, but there are other factors beyond funding levels that they have to weigh. As Robert Tagorda, Founder and CEO of Revival Strategy Consulting, points out at The 74, timelines also matter, especially during periods of significant fiscal growth.

This issue becomes pronounced where human capital is concerned. If funds are only available for a few years, then school systems will think long and hard about whether they can afford to add to their workforce, since they will need to have enough resources to cover ongoing salaries and benefits.

“One of the challenges of hiring staff is you have to be able to think about sustainability,” Tagorda says. “That makes it hard for us to think about long-term investments.”

When putting together education budgets, lawmakers must consider whether they are providing the necessary flexibility to encourage lasting change. On the flip side, school systems must be attuned to any strings that might be attached to their dollars and plan accordingly.