Like many districts in Washington State, the Edmonds School District entered the 2025–26 budget planning season facing significant financial pressure. With a projected deficit between $7 and $10 million, the district knew it needed to make deep, difficult cuts. These weren’t first-time reductions—Edmonds had already made hard choices in previous years, and few easy options remained.
Historically, the district relied on in-person community workshops and Zoom sessions to explain its budget and gather input. But these methods had limitations. Turnout was often low, particularly for busy parents and working families, and leaders frequently heard the same concern: “We didn’t even know this was happening.” Despite efforts to be transparent, the district found itself playing defense year after year.
“We knew we weren't doing enough to connect with our community and were looking to expand our efforts,” indicated Superintendent Rebecca Miner.
This time, Edmonds decided to try something new—something more intuitive and interactive.
Polco's Budget Simulation is an online budget simulation tool that helps local governments and school districts engage their communities in fiscal decision-making. It allows community members to explore real budget data, adjust spending and revenue items, and experience the difficult trade-offs decision-makers face. Participants can see the immediate financial and service impacts of their choices and leave comments along the way.
By using Polco (previously Balancing Act), Edmonds gave the public a hands-on way to navigate budget decisions—something far more meaningful than attending a one-way presentation or reviewing static spreadsheets. The tool also supported the district’s commitment to transparency by clearly showing what’s adjustable and what isn’t due to state mandates or contractual obligations.
In the simulation, community members were tasked with closing a $2 million gap—just a portion of the overall shortfall. The tool offered $3.2 million in possible adjustments to allow flexibility, and it emphasized the purpose wasn’t to “solve” the entire budget, but to prioritize trade-offs and gather input.
The response exceeded expectations. Over two budget cycles, the simulation received more than 14,000 pageviews, nearly 2,000 hours of total engagement time, and over 2,200 completed submissions. Importantly, community members didn’t just click through the tool—they provided thoughtful comments and ideas that district leadership hadn’t previously considered.
“It would be impossible to overstate the benefit to me and to the board to receive the feedback that the tool provides as we navigate these incredibly difficult decisions,” Miner indicated.
This wasn’t a survey designed to rubber-stamp decisions. It became a two-way educational experience. Community members learned about the constraints of school budgeting, and district leaders gained valuable insight into local values and priorities.
Beyond public feedback, the Polco (previously Balancing Act) simulation helped foster internal collaboration across departments. Staff from finance, communications, and the superintendent’s office worked together on everything from the structure of the simulation to the language used in descriptions. Even the school board participated, reviewing the simulation in study sessions. The process helped demystify the budget internally and sparked honest, informed conversations at all levels of the organization.
A key design choice was to include a wide range of budget categories—including small and often-overlooked line items—to show that no stone was left unturned. Some items were locked to reflect non-negotiable commitments, while others were open to adjustment. This balance illustrated the district’s transparency and its constraints.
Feedback from the simulation often included phrases like, “This was really hard,” which district leaders took as a sign of success. It showed that participants were truly engaging with the complexity of the decisions, building empathy for the tough choices ahead.
To drive participation, the district used a mix of communication channels, including weekly newsletters and social media. But some of the most effective outreach happened organically. Parents shared the tool with neighbors, friends posted it online, and local media picked up the story. The community helped push the simulation, out of excitement, “viral” in a way that traditional outreach never could.
This broad reach also helped correct misconceptions about the budget process and sparked more informed public discussions.
By the second year of using Polco's Budget Simulation, Edmonds had learned valuable lessons. The team streamlined the number of categories to make the experience more digestible, while still retaining the depth needed to reflect real-world trade-offs. They also made it clearer which categories were adjustable and why some weren’t, further improving clarity and trust.
Participation grew even though the novelty had worn off—a testament to the simulation’s value and relevance.
The district shared simulation results and comments publicly on its website, reinforcing its commitment to openness. More than that, the process shifted the relationship between the district and its community. Instead of reacting to criticism, staff and board members found themselves having constructive conversations built on a shared understanding of the budget.
Additionally, the process of gathering, examining and sharing the feedback was transparently shared with community members so that everyone knew when to expect the results of the survey and how they would be shared.
Even state legislators received copies of the results—further proof that the process didn’t just gather input, but told a compelling story about a community coming together in a time of fiscal strain.
What Edmonds School District discovered through its use of Polco's Budget Simulation is that people connect trust with understanding, timing, and communication. By creating a digital space where community members could engage on their own time, in their own way, and see the real impact of their input, the district built deeper relationships with the people it serves.
While this simulation was born out of a deficit, district leaders hope to use it again someday—for surplus planning. The tool has shown it can do more than solve problems—it can change the tone, improve decision-making, and strengthen the bonds between schools and the broader community.
For districts facing similar challenges, Edmonds’ experience offers a clear lesson: transparency and technology, when used thoughtfully, can turn even the hardest budget conversations into an opportunity to build trust, connection, and shared purpose.
Learn more about Polco's simulation tools >>