Except for the personnel component, the budget is zero-based, requiring the teachers and staff members to submit budget request forms, estimate needs for supplies and materials, travel and justification for the estimates. Because it uses zero-based budgeting, the district does not start from the prior year's budget and work from there. Instead, it starts with zero and determines what is needed to operate for that year.
Personnel is budgeted based on prior year expenditures.
In February and March, teachers are given an opportunity to put together a wish list with justifications for all the items that they will require during the next school year. After the teachers have put together their list, the information is provided to principals. The principals then review all the initial requests and put together a budget for their campus. As part of that review, new programs may be included. The principals then make recommendations on campus budgets to the superintendent based upon greatest areas of need and the budget needed to maintain each department successfully.