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Illinois School Board Journal
July/August 2003

Communication eases mind-boggling finances

by Jennifer Bialobok

Jennifer Bialobok is Community Relations Coordinator at Lyons Township High School, Lyons THSD 204 in LaGrange, Illinois.

School districts receive most of their money from the same source -- property taxes. Why then do some districts sail through a referendum or pass a tax rate hike with little or no opposition while others struggle with every vote?

The answer may lie in communication. As board members, you cannot, and should not, ask people for more taxes or to pass a referendum if they don't understand school finances and why you need more money.

Consider the following suggestions when you communicate the sometimes mind-boggling issues of school finance and budgeting:

• Learn all that you can. Board members, whether they are veterans or new to the district, should make certain they have the information they need to know about school finances and the budgeting process. If you feel you don't know enough about the financial aspects of your job, talk to your superintendent or business manager. They should be able to help you learn what you need to know. (Editor's note: The Illinois Association of School Boards offers regional and pre-conference workshops on the basics of school law and finance, as well as panel presentations at conference that go into more specifics on topics like tax caps and current legislation. In addition, the association offers publications such as James B. Fritts' book, The Essentials of Illinois School Finance, which explains the board's role in district finances as well as presenting "plain English" answers to questions on revenue and expenditures.)
  
• Work with your local media. Invite reporters to sit down with your business manager and provide a comprehensive picture of your district's financial situation. Be patient with reporters. Many of them, like most people, do not understand the complexities of school finance. Take note of what questions they ask. Chances are, constituents have the same questions. If your district is experiencing financial difficulties, explain why and what measures are in place to help combat the problems. You'll do a disservice to your district if you allow reporters to rely only on numbers. Put a face or story on your budget.
  
• Simplify your message and avoid jargon. Nothing makes heads spin faster than talk of PTAB, EAV, triennial reassessment and levies. Talk and write in terms the average homeowner or business owner can understand. If possible, use analogies to convey your message.
  
• Personalize the issues for your publics. When possible, avoid talking about the overall district budget. Instead, focus on the schools your audience attends and the programs in which their students participate. Define what budget cuts or tax increases will mean for the average taxpayer in terms of cost per household or cost per student.
  
• Work to build an understanding of school finances and budgeting. Districts have an obligation to inform their publics about how and where money is being spent. Build credibility with ongoing, two-way communication. Consider forming a Citizens Finance Committee to help educate the community. Educate committee members on school finances and train them to serve as key communicators to filter information to and from the community.
  
• Educate from within. The superintendent or the business manager may not be the best school official to explain the budget and the budget process to your constituents. Consider a teacher, well-informed parent or an impartial third party to deliver financial information. Regardless of who is the designated district spokesperson, school officials including the Board of Education, administrators and middle managers should be well versed on the budget. Consider holding workshops to explain the budget, accounting, assumptions, tax caps, revenue, expenditures, fund balance and cash flow. Encourage school officials to be active in community organizations so that its membership is kept abreast of the district's financial forecast.
  
• Talk early, talk often. As referendum time rolls around, voters should not be hearing about school finances for the first time. Routinely post financial information on your Web site, write letters to the editor in local papers supporting budget decisions and considerations, and publish an annual financial report in easy-to-understand language detailing the basics: revenues, expenditures, how the budget is developed and how the monies are divided. Enlist the help and support of district personnel to reiterate crucial messages, create answers to frequently asked questions and publish quarterly updates for your constituents.
  
• Leave people with hope. Even if your district finances are bleak at best, reinforce the fact that students will continue to learn and teachers will continue to teach.