Engage in a collaborative discussion with your principal or another school principal about planning a site budget and request to review the school's current and previous year's budget, as well as their CIP/SIP. After reviewing the two budgets and the CIP/SIP, ask the principal to describe how the current budget was developed, including:
Development timeframe
Stakeholders involved in the process
How needs were identified
Process of defense and modification
District technology requirements and their effects on the budget process
Review the differences between the current budget and the previous budget, asking the principal to provide insight on any differences. Discuss to what degree the principal thinks the budget realistically supports the CIP/SIP.