MASB Leaderboard Winter 2021 Edition

Does Your Budget Truly
Reflect Your District’s
Commitment to
_________?
By Blake Prewitt
One of the most important functions of a
board of education is establishing the yearly
budget. Too often, this might be thought
of as a routine process for the board, but
the budget truly drives the direction of the
district. As board members, what steps
are you taking to ensure you’re allocating
funds to the areas you’ve designated as
important?
There is a lot of research and rhetoric
around equity in schools. How equity is
achieved looks different for each district
primarily depending on the makeup of its
student body and surrounding community. From the Center for Public Education,
“equity is achieved when all students receive the resources they need so they
graduate prepared for success after high school.” 1
The Lakeview Board of Education made a commitment to equity a number of years
ago. Trying to operationalize equity is difficult. Too often, boards and administration
think they know how to “help” their marginalized populations, but they haven’t
done the work to truly listen to these populations. It’s important to guard against
White Savior Complex by the Board of Education and administration.
Our strategic planning process was focused on trying to engage these diverse
voices in order to make data-driven decisions. Lakeview has significant Burmese
and African American populations. Surveys and focus groups for both populations
were facilitated, helping us realize we had to find a systematic way to hear their
voices on a regular basis.
We started by allocating funds for full-time African American and Burmese community
liaisons. The goal was for these staff members to assist the district in
better understanding the needs of the community and guide us in how we should
respond. One of the needs both communities highlighted—which is also outlined in
our strategic plan—is mental and behavioral health for students and families. This
crucial need intersected with our implementation of a multitiered system of supports,
positive behavioral interventions and supports, and restorative practices.
32 WINTER 2021 MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION of SCHOOL BOARDS | LEADERBOARD