What Happens When Budgets are Cut?
Districts facing technology budget cuts have responded primarily by cutting back on equipment and supplies or postponing exploration of new hardware. They aren't likely to tap into reserves or engage in fundraising - with some key exceptions.
Eight in 10 school leaders whose districts have experienced declining technology budgets (80 percent) cut back on equipment and supplies. More than six in 10 (63 percent) say budget cuts have made them less likely to explore laptop programs - a marker, we believe, for disinvestment in innovative technologies under budget strains.
Nearly half (49 percent) of school leaders also report cutting staff in response to declining technology budgets. Seventy-three percent of school leaders in districts in the West, 67 percent in the poorest districts, 63 percent in large districts and 59 percent in urban districts report staff cuts because of technology budget decreases.
By contrast, only about three in 10 (29 percent) report that their districts tapped into reserves in response to technology budget cuts, while only 14 percent report engaging in new fundraising. Not surprisingly, school leaders in wealthy districts (26 percent) and high-tech districts are the most likely to engage in new fundraising in the face of budget cuts. However, nearly four in 10 (39 percent) of all districts have mitigated losses by repurposing other funds.