How Does a School's Mission Lead Decisions?

Mission Drives Decisions

Ultimately every organization begins with a dream that is developed into a mission. This mission is the launching point for every decision that will be made for the future of that organization. To boil it down to the most basic, the mission determines the budget.

When it comes to money organizations may have very different goals. In the for-profit world the goal is to make as much money as possible to better the business and/or people. In the nonprofit world the goal is to serve a group of people the best way possible with the resources an organization has. Obviously, there is more to it than that, but those simplistic definitions help frame the way an organization looks at a budget.

In the world of education, these oversimplified definitions become a little less simple. Whether public or private, schools typically take an approach toward money and budgeting like that of a nonprofit. But budgeting decisions can become complicated for a school because depending on where the money comes from there may be stipulations to its use.

School Budgets Are Missional

Regardless of the type of educational setting, school decisions in budgeting should be based on the mission of the organization. For public schools the mission is to meet the needs of the students as directed by the government. A public school's financial decisions (and even hiring decisions) are determined by the school district based on the requirements of the state's department of education as directed by the state and federal government. The individual school has little say in where the majority of their funding goes. Therefore, if your government has a mission that aligns to yours, you will likely approve of how the district is allocating the funds. This is one reason many public schools rely heavily on parent-led fundraising. Parent organization funds are kept separate from district funds and provide parent-desired enriching opportunities for students as directed by the organization and not the school or district.

Private school financial decisions operate very differently. Non-religious private schools are typically independent and decisions would be made by a school leadership and/or board that is voted on by the school itself. Religious private schools that are part of a large denomination, most often are subject to some sort of financial guidance by the larger organization. In a church-school like the one I am part of, the budget is subject to approval by the school's board, and portions of the budget by the church's board.

To help clarify, I will use our school's budgeting process. In the fall before the official budget is crafted, I will research the expected private school tuition increases and costs. As I prepare the recommendation and the board reviews potential increases there is prayerful consideration of our school's mission. The mission states, "City Christian School, in its commitment to the Christian faith, exists to educate the whole child in spirit, mind, and body; thereby, preparing its graduates to be competent servant-leaders who are spiritually alive, mentally alert, physically active and actively involved with a local church." One example of how our school uses the mission to direct funds is that we believe our mission is for our church families, other local church families, and those within our community. Therefore, our tuition must be within reach for those in our community. Our board works to keep tuition affordable to as many families as possible within our community through lower tuition. 

Then in the spring the budget begins to take shape with estimating the number of students for the upcoming year, cost of living increases for the staff, and the current year's actual costs. From this baseline essential costs that are expected to increased such as textbooks and digital curriculum, and professional fees such as our outside accounting firm and membership dues are adjusted as well. Desired improvements as requested by myself, staff, church, or school families are then added. Often at this point the budget needs trimming at this point and time is taken to evaluate each line item, prayerfully considering the next school year and the overarching mission of our school. We prioritize biblical integration, opportunities for spiritual experiences, and a robust curriculum, as well as physical education and athletics programs because they are part of our school's mission. Once the budget has been carefully crafted, it is presented to the school board. The board makes additional adjustments as they feel necessary and when finalized, the budget is approved.

Every line item of our school's budget is carefully considered. Our school staff looks for the most cost-effective option that will still provide quality for our students. Budget decisions are made with the mission in mind that we would see well-rounded graduates who know God, lead in their generation, and love the local church.

Meeting the Needs

It is vital that a school's mission directs decisions as well as meeting the needs of the people the school serves. I believe one of the reasons some school systems are struggling is because the mission they have been required to follow does not align with the needs and desires of the people they are serving. From curriculum to classroom design, if a school is not able to meet the desires of the community, students will leave. Schools that meet the needs of the community they serve will flourish.

It is important to remember that not every school is a great fit for every family. Just like our communities need many types of churches, we need various types of schools. School are not one-size-fits-all. Please don't hear me wrong, there is no "perfect" school. When we choose to attend or work at a particular school, we should not go in with the idea that the school will change to meet my needs. It is our responsibility to read the mission, values, and guidelines for the school and from there determine if the school is a good fit. As a school leader, I respectfully ask that we all use caution when speaking of a school we choose to leave or not enroll in. Just because it is not a good fit for you does not make it bad.

As the mission determines decisions in a school, that mission should meet your family's needs. The nature of a school mission is to serve students and their families. If a school mission does not meet the needs of the people it serves, it should not be considered a mission. It no longer serves its students and is serving something, or someone, else and now has become an agenda.