Coping with School District Budget Cuts

Recently I received an e-mail from the superintendent of our former school district in California. The e-mail, which went out to all parents connected with this top-ranked district, followed up on previous communications discussing potential impacts of the state's budget cuts on local schools.

Needless to say, the news wasn't good. Cuts in staffing, classes, and programs were likely. At this point, however, most parents are likely inured to the district's gloomy prognostications. After all, the same thing happens, to a greater or lesser degree, every year, and somehow the teachers and schools carry on. Parental support, both financial and otherwise, is extremely high in this district and helps offset government shortfalls.

Nonetheless, today's students are still getting the short end of the stick, which means parents have to figure out ways to make sure their kids are learning what they need to learn and being exposed to "nonessential" subjects (such as art) more than, say, six times a year.

One way of doing this is by supplementing—signing kids up for lessons, extracurricular activities, and intensive academic programs after school, on weekends, during summer camps, and, increasingly, on line. But supplementing on this scale isn't cheap, and it can wreak havoc with families' already-crammed schedules.

Another solution is to take advantage of local public libraries, which provide access to a wealth of educational resources, and free or inexpensive museums, lectures, concerts, and plays. This strategy requires research, planning, and time but can offer valuable educational experiences for a relatively small financial outlay.

Perhaps most important—although most difficult—in these trying economic times is maintaining a positive attitude. Despite budget cuts, most schools will continue to operate much as usual, and students in well-performing districts will still get good educations. And whatever parents do to augment the schools' curricula will bring their kids' educations that much closer to the ideal.