Written by Eleanor Hecks
Eleanor Hecks is a writer who is passionate about helping businesses create inclusive and diverse spaces. She serves as the Editor in Chief of Designerly Magazine.
As education faces yet another round of budget cuts, leaders must determine where to cut back without sacrificing their ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. After years of economising, they have few options. Is it even possible?
How Budget Cuts Will Impact UK Schools
Research from Stop School Cuts estimates the £630 million cut to education funding next year will be the equivalent of 12,400 school staff’s salaries, including 6,700 support staff and 5,700 teachers. The campaign projects that 92% of secondary schools and 75% of primary schools will be forced to cut staff. In England, overall per-pupil funding will drop to the lowest level in 15 years.
Educational institutions have been experiencing compounding financial pressure for nearly two decades — they cannot continue absorbing costs. Industry experts agree, concerned that the latest round of cutbacks will be burdensome.
Julie McCulloch — the senior director of strategy, policy and professional development at the Association of School and College Leaders — says schools have done an excellent job of minimising the impact on students. However, they are nearing what she calls a “death by a thousand cuts.” As they face yet another budget cut, many wonder whether a solution exists.
Can Educators Support DEI Amidst Cuts?
Educational institutions struggling to manage funds amidst the tuition fee freeze and budget cuts will likely need to economise. Typically, eliminating DEI programs would not be the first approach that comes to mind due to the vast improvements DEI initiatives bring — namely, surveys show that nearly 80% of those who make DEI investments see internal improvements to company culture. However, they can only offset cutbacks if they make major financial changes equivalent to 12,400 school staff’s salaries.
With DEI becoming increasingly divisive, some have called for removing so-called “DEI hires.” Others have moved to defund institutions related to or containing elements of DEI. Although the U.S. does not fund universities in the United Kingdom, some have offset cutbacks by sourcing funds from overseas agencies.
While educational leaders have faced pressure to distance themselves from DEI, they have already spent precious time, money and energy on these efforts. Even unintentionally backpedalling now would be a waste of resources. Instead, they should prioritise supporting diversity and inclusion when identifying areas to scale back.
Strategies for Supporting DEI in Education
Educators can continue to support DEI efforts despite budget cuts in several ways.
Establish Staff Performance Benchmarks
With performance data, they can identify areas of opportunity, enabling them to make staffing and scheduling decisions. Chances are, they have a key growth area they could improve.
For instance, while 75% of working adults consider teamwork and collaboration essential workplace skills, 39% believe their employers don’t facilitate cooperation enough. Benchmarking internally and against other schools in similar circumstances will help institutions identify strategies to optimise diversity and inclusion without increasing spending.
Use an Approved Framework Agreement
Framework agreements approved by the Department for Education can help professionals source goods and services quickly and cheaply. Instead of spending time getting quotes and verifying compliance, they can select pre-vetted vendors that may already have a cost-effective pricing structure in place.
Engage in Strategic Workforce Planning
Decision-makers should reduce support staff and teaching assistants to retain skilled teachers. No leader wants to be in this position, but making tough decisions may be necessary for the greater good. They can work with other state-funded schools to find employment opportunities for those they let go.
The Society for Human Resource Management states hiring one employee costs nearly £4,000 on average because the organisation must spend money advertising the job and onboarding the new hire. Relying on a network can reduce expenses while keeping professionals in the workforce.
Reduce Non-staff Spend With Resource Management
Education experts have successfully reduced non-staff spending, so this strategy is sound. They saved around £1.1 billion from 2015 to 2020. Without this strategy, spending would have risen by an estimated £600 million. They may only have a few notches left, but can still tighten their belts, so to speak.
Educators Can Continue Supporting DEI Efforts
Budgets may be tight, but children are the future, so prioritising their education is essential. Even though cutting DEI programs would save some money, introducing diverse viewpoints and skill sets can help foster a healthy, inclusive learning environment. Educators should consider leveraging these strategies to preserve their programs.