The Evolution of School Budgeting: Incremental to Performance-Based

School district budgeting decisions take on added significance due to high-stakes public accountability and reduced funding levels. In this period, it is necessary for school districts to be strategic in making allocation decisions. Budgeting merges resources and results. This study examines current school district budgeting processes. Overall, it appears that, in the school districts represented, budgeting practices have evolved in order to meet increased performance requirements. More specifically, there has been a significant change in what school business officials consider to be the most relevant criteria in making budget decisions. In this mixed methods study, the data also suggest that budgeting methods/practices have changed by becoming more performance-based. Finally, there appears to be a relationship between performance-based budgeting and student achievement.