Due to the ongoing financial crisis, careful review of the budget will be crucial in the coming years. Last spring, the district was forced to resolve a $2 million deficit for the 2009-10 school year by reducing and allocating spending in a variety of areas.

Some of the candidates also stressed the importance of increasing the transparency of the schools’ budget process, arguing that the residents of Cambridge deserve to know how their money is being spent.

“Six years ago, no one could tell you where all the money was going,” said McGovern, who has since worked with Nolan to create the first “Citizen’s Guide to the Budget,” a booklet that outlined the district’s fiscal situation using laymen’s terms. Both McGovern and Nolan said they will remain committed to informing the public about financial developments within the city’s public schools.

Turkel also said she believes that increasing school and community involvement is a key part of in solving budget problems.

“Principals, school staff, teachers, and parents/guardians can work together to create the best learning environments for their student population,” she said.

—Staff writer Sofia E. Groopman can be reached at segroopm@fas.harvard.edu.