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Burlington presents equity-driven budgeting model to House Education committee
Summary
Burlington School District officials described an equity-centered budget model that pairs baseline staffing with a weighted supplemental 'RISE' allocation, and outlined how declining enrollment is driving modest staffing and RISE reductions in the proposed budget.
Nate Lavery, presenting to the House Education Committee on Jan. 21, outlined Burlington School District’s approach to allocating existing dollars more equitably by pairing a baseline staffing model with a weighted supplemental allocation called RISE. Lavery said the model is designed to distribute whatever funding the district has in a transparent, formula-driven way rather than to increase total spending.
Lavery told lawmakers the model began about five years ago under then-superintendent Tom Flanagan and was developed by district staff and principals with extensive community input. "We sought information from [students, families and community members]," he said, adding that survey responses showed "overwhelming support in our community for allocating resources to students who have the most need." The district combines baseline staffing and non-personnel per-student allocations with RISE funds, which are weighted to direct more money toward higher-need student…
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