Budgets may look like numbers on a spreadsheet, but they reveal our collective values. Do we fund literacy programs, special education supports, or new sports fields? The choices reflect priorities—yet those choices are often made far from classrooms.
Layers of Decision-Making
Provincial governments: Control overall education funding and frameworks.
School boards: Allocate resources within districts, balancing competing demands.
Principals and school councils: Make final calls on day-to-day spending.
Parents and communities: Sometimes asked to fundraise to “fill the gaps,” raising equity concerns.
The Power Dynamics
Wealthier communities can raise more money through parent councils and donations.
Political cycles influence funding priorities—today it’s STEM, tomorrow it’s trades.
Students, ironically, often have the least say, despite being the ones most affected.
The Core Issue
When funding decisions are made at multiple levels, accountability gets blurry. If a program disappears or a classroom resource never arrives, who’s responsible?
The Big Question
Should education funding be driven more by community voice and student need, or should it remain primarily in the hands of politicians and administrators?
Who Decides What Gets Funded?
The Invisible Hand of Education Budgets
Budgets may look like numbers on a spreadsheet, but they reveal our collective values. Do we fund literacy programs, special education supports, or new sports fields? The choices reflect priorities—yet those choices are often made far from classrooms.
Layers of Decision-Making
The Power Dynamics
The Core Issue
When funding decisions are made at multiple levels, accountability gets blurry. If a program disappears or a classroom resource never arrives, who’s responsible?
The Big Question
Should education funding be driven more by community voice and student need, or should it remain primarily in the hands of politicians and administrators?