School Participatory Budgeting: An Emerging Governance Tool and Its Managerial Considerations

Participatory budgeting (PB) fosters community engagement in the allocation of public funds. Although its popularity has diminished in general-purpose governments, it is gaining traction in school districts. Yet research on PB’s managerial implications remains scarce. This study analyzes a PB process in a New York school district, examining key stages, participants, and engagement dynamics using quantitative and qualitative data. Our findings underscore important implementation challenges that necessitate careful consideration before advocating the widespread adoption of school PB.