The phrase “budget documents” may not be the two most exciting words in K12 education. However, a keyword search by school data tracker Burbio reveals school spending priorities in a handful of the nation’s 500 largest districts.
Portland Public Schools in Oregon is riding on the long-term impact of ESSER investments in safety, including security-related professional development. Burbio notes that the district is also using funds from bonds in 2017 and 2020 to strengthen security at all of its schools with updated security cameras, alarm systems and door locks, Burbio reveals.
Family engagement is the school spending focus in Virginia’s Newport News Public Schools, which has a team of eight specialists that lead parent outreach initiatives and disseminate books, tutoring services and other resources to help families build students’ academic skills.
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Tutoring is a top priority in Tennessee’s Shelby County Schools, which is also steering funds toward a range of other math and reading interventions, and after-school and summer school programs. Similarly, social-emotional learning curriculum and professional development are recurring topics in the budget at Chelsea Public Schools in Massachusetts.
Finally, Cabarrus County Schools in North Carolina is devoting substantial funds to replace HVAC systems in two elementary schools and a high school.
More school spending coverage from DA:
- How to gauge ESSER’s academic impact
- School closures: More big districts are making tough choices
- School layoffs are mounting quickly as ESSER winds down
