As with personal shopping, it might be best to hold off on purchases until either a sale comes along, or some extra cash is freed.

Despite some small signs of an economic recovery, states continue to struggle with their budgets—and districts are still finding it necessary to cut costs wherever possible. But such drastic measures as laying off staff and cutting valuable programs are not always needed, especially if you’re savvy enough to know of some often-overlooked ways to save.

In this article, you’ll find seven helpful suggestions from superintendents, technology directors, and teachers, explaining how their schools have managed to save money—because if there’s one thing this tough economy has shown, it’s that money matters.

1. Become more energy-efficient.

According to Kathleen M. Airhart, director of schools for Putnam County, Tenn., the last two fiscal years have been difficult for her school system. Month after month, state and local revenues have declined as a result of lower-than-anticipated sales tax growth.

“The school board and administration have been forced to make extremely difficult decisions in reducing expenditures and operations for our system, [cutting programs] that had been standard practice for many years. With an anticipated sales tax loss of near a million dollars for 2008-09, I … was constantly seeking solutions that would not directly impact teaching and the classroom,” Airhart explained.

She decided to look at how the school system could save money by reducing its energy consumption, but added: “The energy savings … would have to be found by reducing energy consumption with what equipment we currently had available, and not by spending thousands of dollars to change out operational systems. I have always considered myself to be somewhat of an environmentalist … but how could I convince my system of 19 schools, 1,100 employees, and 10,000 students to do the same?”

Airhart decided the best way to get buy-in among stakeholders was to conduct a contest among the county’s schools to see which school could save the most energy. 

“I promised the group that the winning school would receive six new interactive whiteboards … as a prize. I suggested energy savings ideas such as turning off lights when leaving the room, unplugging computers and electric appliances when not in use, removing small heaters and refrigerators from classrooms, and using fluorescents versus incandescent [bulbs] in small [light] fixtures. I suggested getting teachers and students involved in making a school-wide change to energy efficiency,” said Airhart.

The finance department carefully tracked kilowatt usage at each school by comparing kilowatts expended during the same month in the previous year to those used in the current year. Each month, officials tracked the accumulated savings as a total percentage from one month to the next. This energy savings spreadsheet was shared at each monthly leadership team meeting and at each school board meeting.

In talking with the supervisor of plant operations, Airhart also discussed the variables that could be controlled as a system, such as programmable automated heating and cooling controls in some schools. They agreed to set thermostats four degrees cooler or hotter across the system and to turn down the heat or turn off the AC during nights and weekends. At older buildings, which were not automated, they requested that principals do the same. The maintenance department helped schools lower the lighting output in hallways and other high-traffic areas. They also decreased nighttime safety lighting in buildings to lower but safe levels.

By the contest’s end, the school system overall had saved more than 15 percent of its previous year’s energy usage, simply by developing better energy-use habits. “The net savings for the system last year topped $450,000 and well exceeded my hopes of saving a few thousand dollars,” said Airhart.
 
This year, with the availability of state Energy Efficient Schools Initiative funds, Airhart says her system will begin changing out lights in older buildings from T-12 to T-8 fixtures. 

But it’s not just Airhart’s district that is making a difference.

Elizabeth Peterson, a special-education facilitator at Houston Hill Junior High in Alabama’s Montgomery Public Schools, said savings came when her district installed energy-efficient light bulbs and upgraded several heating systems.

“These were installed with a guarantee, so if [they didn’t save money], the company would have to repay us,” Peterson said. “Another way we are saving money is by unplugging unnecessary items like microwaves and small refrigerators. Teachers are going to share these spaces instead. It has been determined that if we turn off our computers from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., the district will save $200,000 out of a $5.2 million annual electrical outlay.”