I learned that school budgets not only inform us of priorities, but they can also serve as a communication tool for the entire district. I feel like our school could use the budget as an opportunity to discuss progress as well as our strategic plan, but that is not the case. Teachers and parents rarely hear about the educational and operational objectives and achievements of the budget. This is definitely something my school could improve on, since the school budget should reflect the community and its values. I also think there is a skewed perception among the public, and even among teachers, regarding the school budget. Some of these views include that the school budget is a waste, that administrators are overpaid, that administrators are not forward-thinking, and that money is being spent in the wrong areas. These negative perceptions of the school budget are often heard during difficult economic times, such as when our school district recently experienced financial difficulties. However, I have learned that without meaningful participation from the community, educators, and staff, these perceptions will never go away.