Communicating School Finances: Practical Guides for School Business and Communications Teams

Part 1: Working Together for Financial Transparency and Trust

NSPRA members, click below to download the full Working Together for Financial Transparency and Trust toolkit.

NSPRA members only.

Behind every school budget is a story—about priorities, programs, people, and the community’s investment in its students. But too often, the story can be hard to follow. Finance information may be thorough and accurate, and yet still leave families, staff, and even decision makers feeling confused or left out.

Regardless of district size or location, one constant is the need to communicate clearly and transparently with stakeholders about the district’s budget and finances.

The good news? School business professionals and communications professionals have a shared responsibility—and opportunity—to make finance communications clear, inclusive, and effective. When these two teams work together early and often, they can translate complex financial data into meaningful messages that build trust and encourage community support.

Districts that successfully communicate with their stakeholders, ensure that their finance and communications teams work together throughout the entire process—from early planning through adoption or approval and ongoing communication efforts.

Whether you are a school business professional managing financial operations or a communications professional responsible for public engagement, this toolkit offers practical guidance to help both teams:

• Strengthen working relationships between finance and communications teams;
• Improve the clarity and impact of public-facing finance messaging; and
• Foster trust and transparency with school boards, staff, families, and the wider community.

BUILDING A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE BUSINESS TEAM AND COMMUNICATORS

Business office and communications teams often operate on parallel tracks, but their roles intersect deeply when it comes to sharing budget and finance information with stakeholders.

According to NSPRA’s most recent member profile survey, 31% of those in their first year working in school PR have never worked in public relations outside the education sector. This points to how school system communications professionals are new to both the profession and its unique context—and why early, strategic collaboration with school business professionals is essential.

TO START BUILDING A STRONG PARTNERSHIP:

• Learn work styles: Discuss preferences for phone calls, emails, or scheduled meetings for urgent or strategic topics. Flexibility promotes collaboration, especially during busy times like budget season.

• Share roles and challenges: Talk openly about your responsibilities and what you want the other team to understand about your work. This mutual understanding strengthens teamwork and trust.

• Clarify jargon: Financial and technical terms can be confusing. Consider co-creating a glossary to help both teams communicate clearly.

• Define responsibilities: School business professionals bring financial data and context; communications professionals determine the best way to convey it. Leverage each other’s expertise, provide constructive feedback, and value outside perspectives.

• Respect deadlines: Understand each other’s timing needs and constraints. Sharing and honoring deadlines prevents last-minute surprises and builds reliability and trust.

• Learn together: Attend or present at conferences as a team when possible. If attending separately, share key takeaways to align messaging and support transparency, public trust, and community engagement.

NSPRA members only.