Fiscal First Aid for School Districts: Additional Considerations for School Districts

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, schools are tasked with providing a quality education to their students, along with ensuring their safety and welfare, regardless if classes are being held in-person or virtually. Additionally, schools must adjust to the economic ramifications brought on by the pandemic, such as revenue uncertainty due to school districts being heavily reliant on state pass through revenue and local property taxes, and the need for new expenditures, including personal protective equipment and other items to ensure social distancing. GFOA’s Fiscal First Aid program lays out a 12-step process for recovering from financial distress. This research paper expands upon these fiscal first aid strategies with additional, school-district-specific considerations for mitigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.