Eighteen parents, six evenings and one 212-page budget document. By the end, they had found $1.4 million that could be moved to classrooms.
The course began as an experiment. Parents in the Eastside district kept asking why their school had no counsellor while the district reported a surplus. We offered to help them find out.
Over six evenings, a retired school finance officer walked the group through the budget line by line. They learned the difference between restricted and unrestricted funds, how staffing formulas work, and where contingency money sits.
In June, the group presented their findings at a board meeting. Two counsellor positions are now in next year’s budget.
The course runs again in January in three districts. It is free, with child care and dinner provided.
