Finance committee outlines shift to zero-based budgeting; board offered budget review opportunities

The Englewood Board of Education’s finance committee reported on April 24 that the district is moving toward a zero-based budgeting approach for the 2025–26 budget cycle as part of efforts to increase transparency after last year’s cyberattack.

Why it matters: Zero-based budgeting requires departments to justify expenditures each year rather than rolling forward prior-year totals; the finance committee said the method will provide more detailed allocations by department and increase transparency for trustees and the public.

What committee members said: The finance committee met April 9 and "Mr. Jones presented the entire budget process," according to the committee report. Committee members were given a line-by-line breakdown of what has gone into the draft budget; trustees were told they may schedule follow-up sessions with Mr. Jones and the central office to review the budget in detail. The board president also scheduled two public dates when trustees can review or discuss the budget: a budget review via Teams and the board’s May 7 meeting, which will include the public budget hearing.

Administration and timing: The business office said it will make the budget materials available to board members and that Mr. Jones will hold review sessions on April 28 and May 1 (administration offered those as times when trustees could meet by Teams) and that the May 7 board meeting will include the required budget hearing. Trustees asked for an opportunity to review draft documents and for the business office to circulate materials in advance.

Ending: The finance committee recommended continued trustee review of the zero-based draft and administrative follow-up meetings; the committee noted the change responds in part to the district’s efforts to rebuild systems after last April’s cyberattack.