Media coverage and school budgeting processes

The intent of this research study is to explore the following three questions: (1) How do local newspapers cover school district budgeting processes? (2) Does newspaper coverage of the budgeting process relate to budgeting decisions? (3) What characteristics of a school district relate to the amount of newspaper coverage it receives? A survey questionnaire was sent to officials in all Virginia public school districts. Other data needed for this study were obtained from school financial reports and from in-depth analyses of newspaper articles concerning Virginia public school budgeting processes. Approximately 100 newspapers were examined covering 123 of the 133 school districts in Virginia.