Yearly Archives: 2024

To Add or to Subtract, That Is the Question

 in Theory by

In education, addition has been the default choice for improvement. While innovations are important, continually adding new things, often in silo, can create challenges. Despite that subtraction can add value, it is rarely considered and approached as an improvement strategy. In this 2024 SDP Harvard Strategic Data Project Convening presentation, Sean Berkstresser, C. Todd Cummings, Ph.D. and I shared our research and thinking on this long overdue topic and received good feedback. Specifically, we discussed the implications of two subtraction efforts in the legal realm for education: Paperwork Reduction Act and sunset clause. In essence, cycle-based budgeting applies the “sunset” […]

Moving beyond the “budget dance”

 in Theory  tagged AROI / Budget Analysis / Budgeting Model by

Here is the link to an article on improving district budgeting that is published in Kappan’s March issue. Abstract The annual budgeting process is a valuable opportunity for districts to systematically examine both resource use and programming and use the findings to inform and drive change to optimize resource use and improve program efficacy that will lead to increased student achievement. Bo Yan and Thomas Aberli discuss three root causes for districts’ inability to accomplish the goals (reliance on problem-driven needs as the dominant factor of budgetary decisions, disconnect between financial management and performance management, as well as human nature). […]