As the interim technology manager at my school, I had the benefit of spending a reasonable amount of time looking at the budget. It provided me with several insights. The most important thing that I learned from my budget research experience is that, like most things, it is complicated. But if you properly equip yourself for the task, you may find that it simplifies the process at your school.

Build your toolbox with the right tools for the task

As a technology manager, I recommend having several tools in your toolbox to facilitate the budgeting process. Education and transparency are two of the most powerful; these can be utilized not only when managing the budget, but, more importantly, when requesting funds. Having the trust of your administrative team and the autonomy to make decisions using your expertise are also essential. Finally, knowing what technology stage your school is in and matching your budget and strategic plan to that stage ensures that your budget aligns with your school’s current priorities.

1. Educate yourself and others

My experience with technology has taught me that I often have to be the expert in the room. Thus, I need to be educated about each area, project, and item in the budget so that I can speak to the value and necessity of each. At the same time, I learned very quickly that I could not assume that others would be fluent in the language of technology. This means that there are times when I must educate others about technology needs. Being prepared by learning what I need to know in advance ensures that this is easily done. 

More importantly, education is critical for ensuring smooth interactions with vendors and contractors. You can walk into a conversation with a vendor or contractor with greater confidence when you educate and prepare yourself.  More often than not, your intentionality will get you closer to your intended goals. Lack of preparedness can result in overpaying, receiving poor service, or purchasing a product that doesn’t hit the intended target. 

The point is that as a technology leader, you should expect that you have to be the smartest person in the room or at least the most resourceful when it comes to considering, discussing, and managing the technology budget.  

2. Be transparent

Transparency works in conjunction with the education piece of managing the technology budget. When spending money on technology, there is value in first outlining the purpose of expenditures in a way that is clear and understandable for all parties involved. 

During my budget discussions with the administrative team, I found myself having to explain the goals and purpose of each line item. However, many of these were not clear to me either because I inherited much of the budget (versus creating it myself). The budget became more organized and more purposeful when we were willing to eliminate or adjust line items that lacked clarity or when we reconsidered an expense that did not seem to be in line with the school’s mission. 

Similarly, in requesting new funding, I took the time to make sure that my proposals were accessible and practical for any audience. By maintaining this approach based on education and transparency, I found that my ideas were better received, and I was more productive in managing the budget. 

3. Strive for trust and autonomy

My budget experience also provided me with the opportunity to be a leader in the procurement of educational technology. My primary leadership role was as an advisor in the process of researching, demoing, and purchasing student laptops, interactive boards, and general classroom equipment. I found that this role played to my strengths as an educator and my experience as an integration specialist. In many ways, I was given a lot of autonomy in the process with minimal oversight. 

By allowing me to take the lead on the procurement of educational technology, I felt that the administrative team demonstrated a high level of trust in my ability to do what was in the best interests of the students, faculty, and the school. I believe that trust is the bedrock of leadership as it reflects confidence in an individual’s decision-making abilities. Our procurement process was much smoother and successful because of the trust placed in me.

4. Match your technology budget to your technology stage

Ultimately, the budget is a reflection of the school’s priorities. The most helpful thing to assess is how our spending reflects our values. Are we innovating or merely maintaining? When is one more important than the other? 

In my experience at a start-up school, I supported the position that our technology budget and strategic plan must come in three stages. The first stage is to focus on the operational. Our technology budget in the first few years should focus solely on meeting basic needs and completing essential work. 

The next stage is aspirational. The aspirational stage can transition into looking at grander ideas such as maker spaces and innovative software. Finally, there is a transformational stage. In the transformational stage, the school can begin to think about how the technology budget reflects an intentional culture shift and a new way of thinking about technology in schools. 

Utilizing the tools: a real-world example

Of course, there are going to be challenges. In my school, the biggest challenge was trying to stay in budget while also meeting the expectations of various groups. For example, there was a strong resistance against transitioning from MacBook Airs to Chromebooks or Windows PCs. However, there wasn’t enough money allocated in the budget to maintain the cost of providing each student with a MacBook. 

Once again, to overcome this challenge, I utilized the tools of education, transparency, trust, and autonomy. I learned more about the various Chrome and Windows alternatives to Mac. I assessed the best options and then presented them in a transparent way to the powers that be. And because of the trust and autonomy placed in me by the school’s leadership to fulfill this role, it was easier to convince them of the need for change. 

During this same discussion, I also challenged others to be more transparent in their reasons for preferring one platform over another. Often a lack of education is the reason for bias versus a legitimate cause for concern when it comes to technology preferences. In the future, I will continue to be proactive in sharing plans for technology changes to give all parties adequate time to adjust. I will also push for an earlier budget plan so that I can begin to assess options as soon as possible. 

Final thoughts

Much like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a rational person will balance the basics before pursuing the profound. Right now, I think my start-up school is still working to determine the basics, while occasionally showing an eagerness to jump immediately to the transformational. 

However, as a technology leader, I continue to utilize my role to promote education and transparency. And because of the trust placed in me by my peers and administrators, I know that my voice is valued and heard. I feel confident in my school’s ability to progress productively from the operational to the transformational – when the time is right.

Let the budget be both a mirror and a compass on our educational journey.  

Your friendly neighborhood teacher-man,