The Education Wonks
... then why did a Middle School teacher I know have to buy her entire class books ("with little chance of getting the money back any time soon") via Amazon using her own credit card? I hear about this sort of thing every year, and every year it sounds more surreal.
Let's take your figure. 207,000.
#1 As anyone that understands staffing a building will tell you that is not a straight ratio. When teachers are on plan or lunch someone is with those kids. Lets say 25%, and Ill round up. So now we are at 160,000.
#2 Now take into account support staff; custodians, cafeteria, parapros, SPED, ELL, Literacy, librarians. Let's say another 15%. Now we are at 135,000.
#3 Principal, Assistant Principal, Coaches, bus drivers, district support (grounds, electricians, etc.). Depending on the size of the school, probably another 10%. Now we are at 120,000.
#4 Salary. Assuming 45,000, add another 20-25%, benefits, Social Security, etc. Now we are at 60,000.
#5 Everything else, particulary the capital costs of a school district; heating, AC, mail delivery repair, maintenance, supplies, textbooks, paper, etc.
#6 A school district shares everything. Big, medium and small schools put everything in a pot.
Is there waste? Of course. But if there was a grain of truth in the statement why do private schools pay less than most public school settings and typically charge more than the national average? Why are there not more for profit schools. One thing our country excels at is figuring out a way to make a profit, but no one has figured out how to make a good deal of money educating students.
These NCES figures appear to be operating expenses not total expenses (incl captital costs). They are significantly less than the figures posted at S&P's schoolmatters.com.
Commenting by HaloScan.com
