Rose Tree Media School District to Welcome Public Input in Budget Planning Process: Kickoff Meeting Slated for November 17

Media, PA…A new approach to budget planning is giving Rose Tree Media School District residents an opportunity to share ideas and help set priorities during the development of the 2017-2018 budget. To support this effort, the District has retained Dr. Harris Sokoloff from The Penn Project for Civic Engagement to develop, implement and facilitate public deliberations on important budget considerations.

In addition to seeking input from all members of the public during scheduled forums, the District is also in the process of creating an advisory committee which will consist of parents, business leaders, senior citizens, non-public school families and other stakeholders. This group of 15-20 individuals will work with the district to ensure broad-based community participation in this process.

Details on the project and how the public can partake in the entire series of budget planning forums will be presented during an introductory public meeting titled “From Talk to Action: Community Input into the District Budget.” The presentation will be made at the Legislative Meeting to be held on November 17, starting at 7:30 PM at Penncrest High School (134 Barren Road, Media).

According to Sokoloff, during each scheduled community forum, participants work through a set of budget choices facing the district. “We will take the priorities and rationale that emerge from these forums and give them to the school board to respond to and include in their deliberations,” he explained.

Superintendent James Wigo is eager to see what types of creative ideas the public brings to the table. “We are excited about making budget planning a collaborative process with our community,” he said. “I am hoping for a sizable turnout on November 17 and during the sessions that follow.”

About PPCE

The Penn Project for Civic Engagement (PPCE) is part of the Center for School Study Councils at University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. The project’s mission is to bring stakeholders together to identify and act on problems in their community, business or organization. Structured dialogues unite stakeholder values with expert knowledge and leadership to produce momentum for real solutions.

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