Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend a part of a public budget. This project is meant not only to educate students about how PB works, but also to empower the students by involving them in a process requiring them to demonstrate, in a meaningful way, the skills and knowledge introduced and honed during Economics and Participation in Government courses. This resource guide includes front matter including overviews for teachers and students, timelines, and implementation options for PB projects. The remainder of the guide provides 20 suggested activities to help schools engage students in the PB process.

This Civics for All resource guide was developed using the 9-12 Social Studies Scope & Sequence and is aligned to the 6-12 Next Generation Learning Standards. While this resource was designed for use in middle and high schools, educators may find it necessary and are encouraged to modify activities in this resource guide to suit their own needs and objectives.