Budget & Finance Quiz

Districts Are Under Financial Pressure. Does That Produce Innovation?

By Sean Cavanagh — November 02, 2026 1 min read
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Over the past three years, Education Week, EdWeek Market Brief, and the EdWeek Research Center have worked jointly on a reporting and research project focused on “strategic resourcing,” or how school districts can select and make smart use of academic resources.

As part of the project, the EdWeek Research Center conducted a nationally representative survey from June through August of this year of 313 district leaders, principals, and assistant principals.

The survey asked those administrators about budget pressures they face, their timeline for making spending decisions, and the process they follow.

Test your knowledge through this quiz on how district and school leaders make choices in their budgets, balancing short-term pressures and long-term needs. The questions and answers are taken from our reporting and research.

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Data analysis for this article was provided by the EdWeek Research Center. Learn more about the center’s work.

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Hyon-Young Kim, Senior Digital News Specialist contributed to this article.
Coverage of strategic resourcing to support teaching and learning goals for Education Week and EdWeek Market Brief is supported in part by a grant from the Gates Foundation, at www.gatesfoundation.org. Our editors retain sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

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