A Better Way to Budget: Building Support for Bold, Student-Centered Change in Public Schools

A Better Way to Budget provides practical, innovative advice on how to overcome the political and social pushback that often prevents district and school leaders from shifting scarce resources to the most student-centered uses. Nathan Levenson shows how school leaders can uncover the sources of potential conflicts and create a budgeting process that normalizes change, minimizes pushback, and builds public buy-in for needed reforms.

A Better Way to Budget:

• focuses on a strategic and process-oriented approach that anticipates roadblocks and challenges;
• introduces eight effective strategies for shifting funds and winning support;
• provides real-life examples of mistakes and successes; and
• includes joint fact-finding, simulations, and other exercises to help stakeholders agree on goals and identify the budgetary changes needed to reach those objectives.

Filled with advice gathered over decades of work in schools, A Better Way to Budget provides timely insights and tools for leaders who are exploring ways to make their districts more inclusive and student-centered.

Nathan Levenson, a former school board member and superintendent, is president of the District Management Council.