As part of the campaign I'm working on, my role is public policy analysis and writing, preparing press releases, etc.
In digging up some info on the issue of education in Minneapolis, here are some startling facts worth noticing. I'm inclined a similar pattern resides in other locales.
Total Minneapolis school budget for the 2006-2007 school year was $636,913,247.00
Total Mpls. public school enrollment for that period was listed as 37,865
$16,820.63 per student
Total Minneapolis school budget for the 2008-2009 school year is $696,245,552.00
Total Mpls. public school enrollment (as of Fall 2007) was listed at 34,570 yet their 2008-2009 Proposed Budget says "Enrollment continues to decline with an anticipated decrease of 1600 students. This decline occurs largely in the high school grades." So...I'm not sure if that 1600 decline is to then be subtracted from the 34,570 number or not. But, for the sake of this argument let us suppose it is not.
$20,140.16 per student!!!!
Let us also remember that Tuttle Elementary in Southeast Minneapolis closed in 2007. Prior to that, eight other Minneapolis public schools were closed between 2005-2006. Two, Franklin Middle School and Hamilton Elementary School, were on the North Side. The others were Cooper, Erickson, Holland, Howe, Putnam and Webster Elementary Schools. Some of these schools were built quite recently and sold for a loss. Moreover, with these school closings, that is a sizeable chunk of money that is no longer allocated towards operating costs.
But, if that wasn't enough to fuel the flames, so comes this.....(clearly, this is absolute insanity).
Board approves 2008 levy referendum:
District will ask voters this fall for $60 million
The Minneapolis Board of Education, at its May 13 regular meeting, approved a $60 million referendum to be placed on the election day ballot in November. On Nov. 4, 2008, voters will have the opportunity to vote on the referendum, which would provide funding for improving literacy, preparing students for algebra in eighth grade, providing up-to-date technology and textbooks and managing class size. Click here for more information on the referendum.
Budget and enrollment statistics can be found here: http://financeandbudget.mpls.k12.mn.us/
8 comments:
$20k for each student? Either youse guys have really smart kids coming out of your pristine, high-tech schools, or you're really into wasting money.
Of course, "IT"S ALL FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!"
Was that too sarcastic?
Well, we are consistently ranked in the top 10 or top 5. But, more money doesn't bequeath better or smarter students as you well know. Bear in mind, the $20,000 figure is not strictly instruction. It also includes transportation, teacher salaries/benefits, operating costs, et al.
Even still, the State's Legislative Auditor showed a per pupil expenditure of around $10,500 (statewide average) in their last "Financial Trends of Minnesota Schools" report.
When you compare that $10,500 figure with what many private schools charge for tuition, it's not far off.
Wow, that is really high, our schools get excellent ratings at almost half the cost per student.
Then again, we do have issues with aging buildings which if properly addressed would require a very large cost.
The make-up of the student population helps explain the cost per pupil for students.
15.9% are in special ed.
23.2% are English Language Learners.
65.6% receive free or reduced lunch.
(from http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/sites/f7071225-9844-4da6-96c0-996b9c74b221/uploads/FactSheet08-09.pdf)
The Minneapolis Public Schools have made more than $150 million in cuts since 2001, thanks in part to inadequate state funding. This referendum is badly needed.
I'll bet my house that you have a vested interest in education. And, seeing as how you've a link to the "Vote Yes" campaign in Minneapolis, it tells the story doesn't it.
Because, any individual who did not, would have some semblance of objectivity to conclude that $20,000+ per student is perfectly sufficient to educate a student at some of the best private schools in our state.
Extortion. You have any idea what that is? You and your ilk have been guilty of the practice for a long time; propping up kids and holding them and their programs hostage in an appeal for more and more of the taxpayer's money. All the while, schools close, enrollment declines, salaries and benefits for staff and administration skyrockets and achievement remains stagnant or declines.
You're a fraud, a hack, who needs to be ideologically destroyed.
I do have a vested interest in education. We all do. MN is a great state because its citizens realize the importance of investing in our kids.
I was educated in the Minneapolis Public Schools, and I came to college more prepared than many of my private-school-educated classmates. But as I stated before, there are significant hurdles that the Minneapolis Public Schools face. My elementary school, for example, was on Chicago and Franklin in South Minneapolis. When I attended that school, there was regular drug dealing and gang violence in that neighborhood. Almost 90% of the students were on free or reduced lunch. Many were homeless, highly mobile, or in foster care. I'm no expert on school finance, but it makes sense that it would cost a lot to operate that school. Also, if you did your research, you would know that the Minneapolis Public Schools spend less for admin. as a percent of their budget than the state average.
The state government simply has not provided enough money for schools -- increases in funding have barely kept up with inflation. Maybe these facts don't fit in with your worldview, but the numbers don't lie. The citizens of Minneapolis will step up and fund the schools if the state won't.
You're absolutely right that the numbers don't lie. And, by your own admission, you are no expert on school finance. That said, when it comes to these numbers, your belief is predicated on feeling rather than reason and logic.
"With a total enrollment of 37,865 for the 2006-2007 school year, the Minneapolis School District’s 2006-2007 $637 million budget broke down to $16,821 per student. But, while the current budget is up $60 million, total enrollment is down by more than three-thousand students bringing the figure to over $20,000 per student. Moreover, though the school district’s own budget document reports, “Enrollment continues to decline with an anticipated decrease of 1600 students”, it is unclear if the additional decline in enrollment is in addition to what this year’s total enrollment reflects leaving the cost to be potentially higher."
What's more:
"Department of Finance figures, for the current biennium, show state funding for K-12 up 3.1% over the previous biennium. Their October 2007 K-12 education report further cites the percentage would have been higher were it not for K-12 accounting shift buy backs in FY 2006-2007 accounting for a total of $1.1 billion between November 2004 and February 2006. The buybacks are a direct result of inflated spending in those years. However, despite the buy backs, additional statistics from the findings reported that, “From 1991 to 2009, district general fund revenue per student (as measured by average daily membership or ADM ) is expected to grow from $4,767 to $9,651 - an increase of 102.4% (28.2% after accounting for inflation).”
When you say you have a vested interest in education, I would be curious to know if such interest extends to any corrolary between it and your employer.
As a Minneapolis taxpayer, I am not prepared to, nor am I willing, to shell out any part of $60 million to a school district whose definition of leadership comes down to a plea for money.
I live in Texas and I homeschool 2 boys. Every homeschool child,not enrolled in a public school, means less federal money for the school. I do a great job of teaching for about $1000 per yr. per child. This includes: books, supplies, extra activities (piano, PE at the Y, etc.). Throwing money at something may mean you care about the situation but does not mean it will be successful (welfare, social security for example).
kw
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