DPS Community Can Suggest Budget Priorities

Durham Public Schools on Monday invited the community to give input about the district's budget priorities and laid out the budget planning timeline.

The information came in "Dollars and Decisions: Understanding and Navigating the Durham Public Schools Budget," the first installment of a series that DPS officials are distributing in the interest of transparency and to encourage community engagement.

"Tax dollars are the lifeblood of public school districts," stated an email to the DPS community. "And they come largely from the communities we serve. That is why Durham Public Schools believes it is our responsibility not only to inform our community about how our budget works, but also to invite you to participate in crucial decisions around how the money is spent."

Besides the online ThoughtExchange for input, DPS invites the community to attend public hearings about the budget, participate in an interactive worksheet that simulates budgetary decision-making in the school district, and contact with schools, district officials, or Board of Education members (BOE@dpsnc.net) with ideas and concerns.

Here's the expected timeline:

• Feb. 17: Budget requests due to the DPS finance office from schools and district departments.
• Feb. 20: Public hearing at the regular meeting of the Board of Education to gather input from families and the community, 5:30 p.m. at 511 Cleveland St.
• Sometime in March, before March 27, a second public hearing will be held for input.
• March 27: Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis' proposed budget will be available for public review.
• April 10: Board work session for a final round of budget feedback from board members.
• April 24: Board authorizes the final budget request to Durham County Commissioners.
• May 15: Deadline for the board to submit the budget proposal to Durham County.

The next budget education outreach from DPS is expected to focus on setting budget priorities and exploring funding sources.

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