School Business Officials Share Tips for Navigating Budget Challenges | K-12 Dive
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About 750 attendees gathered in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Oct. 14-16, 2026, to discuss best practices for navigating school districts’ most pressing budget challenges during the Association of School Business Officials International’s 2026 Annual Conference & Expo.
Anna Merod/K-12 Dive
At the Association of School Business Officials International’s 2026 Annual Conference & Expo, approximately 750 attendees — primarily K-12 finance experts — gathered in Pittsburgh last week to share tips on their best practices for tackling growing challenges districts are facing nationwide.
One prominent concern discussed by school finance leaders was inadequate state funding, exacerbated by the expansion of school choice and competition for students.
During an Oct. 14 panel discussion with top school business officials at the ASBO conference, Anya Randle, deputy assistant superintendent at the Louisiana Department of Education, shared her district’s struggles with securing proper funding through Louisiana’s education funding formula.
"Our battle is fighting school choice, getting adequate funding," and addressing a decline in public school enrollment, Randle said. She emphasized the importance of school business officials being proactive in sharing their stories to advocate for their districts’ resource needs.
"We can’t hide behind the Excel spreadsheets or just give the auditors the documents," Randle noted. If district finance leaders don’t tell their own stories, she said, someone else may narrate their situation, potentially inaccurately.
Throughout the ASBO conference sessions held from Oct. 14-16, school finance leaders also shared insights on how they’re innovating to overcome budget challenges and enrollment declines. Notable sessions included:
- A Delaware district leader’s advice on developing a process to demonstrate that district investments are improving student outcomes.
- An Indiana school business official’s tips for finding strategic ways to save millions in a K-12 system’s budget.
Read more on K-12 Dive’s ASBO conference coverage in the linked articles below.
- How an Indiana district saved $20M — and gave teachers a one-time raise
- (Link to the article)