Streamlining Educational Efficiency Through Software Consolidation and Smart Budgeting

Working smarter, not harder, is a mantra that resonates daily for district administrators tackling tedious tasks like budgeting. Effective budgeting is crucial for maximizing educational efficiency, and consolidating software can play a significant role. Here’s how to streamline your budgeting process and consolidate resources to boost efficiency in your district.

Budgeting 101

Every November, I start by listing all the vendors our district contracts with, using last year’s budget as a baseline and reviewing anecdotal notes from teachers’ requests. I create an electronic template listing purchases for both secondary and elementary schools. Many budgeted items roll over each year, such as software renewals and curricular resources, while others, like one-time purchases for robotics kits, are unique.

For example, our district is purchasing a new middle school science curriculum this summer. The first year’s costs are high due to the need for physical science kits, but subsequent years require only replenishments, reducing costs significantly.

Budgeting for Professional Learning

Professional development offerings vary yearly. When new products or curricular resources are launched, we create and purchase professional development plans to ensure teachers understand their value and how to use them. Typically, we contract with vendors for up to five years, then hire in-house experts for ongoing training. This strategy supports new hires and saves money for other budget areas.

Software Consolidation for Efficiency

During budget season, spanning from November to May, my department reviews analytics for educational application usage to consolidate software. We aim to streamline offerings to save money and minimize distractions. Last year, we identified two underutilized applications and replaced them with free options, saving nearly $60,000. This savings was redirected to professional development, enhancing teachers’ skills in using student discourse in English Language Arts and mathematics.

A Helpful Resource

Using a resource or asset manager, like the Destiny Educator Platform from Follett Software, can significantly boost efficiency. This tool helps track 1:1 student devices, classroom devices, staff devices, and textbooks. It streamlines check-in and checkout processes, maintains accurate inventory, and helps identify and budget for necessary repairs.

Additionally, this system simplifies transferring textbooks between schools, ensuring efficient resource allocation and saving time.

Steps to Budgeting Efficiency

To streamline budgeting and consolidation:

1. Start Early: Begin in November by reviewing last year’s budget and annotating changes.
2. Analyze Data: Check data analytics for applications that can be replaced or eliminated.
3. Contact Vendors: Get quotes, considering student population changes and inventory needs.
4. Organize Information: Keep budgeting data on an editable sheet, update it regularly, and color-code new quotes.
5. Maintain Accessibility: Place all quotes in a folder for easy access.
6. Track Totals: Keep a running total to compare with the previous year’s budget.
7. Prepare Narratives: Type up explanations for changes to present to the board and district representatives.
8. Prioritize Items: Highlight must-haves and potential cuts to stay organized.
9. Update Officially: Once organized, update your budgeting software to create the new budget.

Conclusion

Budgeting is a lengthy process requiring organization and efficiency. Keeping your vision in mind and having solid reasons for changes can significantly improve educational efficiency during budgeting season. By following these steps, district administrators can streamline the process, making it less stressful and more effective.

For more information on how Follett Software can help streamline your school’s operations and improve budgeting efficiency, visit our website.

Lisa A. Schultz, Ph.D.
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and MTSS
Warwick Public Schools
Warwick, Rhode Island

Lisa Schultz, PhD, has spent her entire career in education. She has worked in urban and urban-ring settings, spending more than half of her career as an administrator. Her greatest passions are creating learning opportunities for students that are engaging and at students’ “just right” levels and supporting all learners to reach college and career readiness. Dr. Schultz is currently the Curriculum Director in Warwick, Rhode Island, a large city on the water mid-state. She has three young children who also share her passion for education and learning. Keep up her on LinkedIn.