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DEL.ICIO.USA Budget Riddle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Investigative reporters are always admonished to: “Follow the money.” I don’t know where the saying came from, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Deep Throat had said it to Bob Woodward in a darkened alley.
I’ve been thinking about that phrase ever since I read Diane Stepp’s article last week about Cobb County School System’s new $908 million operating budget, which is expected to grow by more than $58 million next year.
If that sounds like a lot, consider the growth in Gwinnett County Public Schools’ new $1.2 billion general fund budget, which will be up by more than $69 million in fiscal 2008, and Atlanta Public Schools’ proposed $620 million budget, which is projected to jump by more than $37 million.
In all cases, the annual increase of the operating budget amounts to about 6 percent or so — pretty typical for what I’ve seen in metro Atlanta school systems previously.
But the situation in each of these systems is very different. Gwinnett, the state’s largest school system, expects to gain more than 7,000 new students next school year, while Cobb, the second-largest, is expecting a considerable slowdown in enrollment growth — from about 1,500 new pupils per year to fewer than 750.
The size of Atlanta’s student body, as most of you know, has been shrinking for years.
So now the riddle, which I really am stumped about: How is it that each system, regardless of enrollment pattern, has a budget that is growing — and not only growing, but growing at virtually the same rate?
Comments
By One Word
May 15, 2007 8:31 AM | Link to this
One word……POLITICS!!
By Rick in Lawrenceville
May 15, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
The influx of illegal immigrants has probably spread fairly evenly across the Atlanta metro area.
School budgets are being raised to implement English as a second language programs and to feed free breakfast and lunch to the children of illegal immigrants.
By JustMe
May 15, 2007 9:13 AM | Link to this
Bridget -
Wonderful! You are starting to hit the nail on the head with this topic.
Something is happening around here with our school systems and no one seems to care - until their property tax bill comes in the mail. Big money is collected even when, as you pointed out, student population is shrinking.
In Atlanta, it is a double whammy. More single people or couples without children (very young couples or retired couples) live in the city. Yet, the city collects property taxes from everyone - and most of it goes to APS. The student population of APS is rather small compared to the general population of the area. In addition, the double whammy is the price of property in the area continues to spiral up - this leads to even more property tax money collected. And, they are build more and more, higher and higher priced homes (highrise condos for example).
Where is all of this collected money going? The APS schools should be lined with marble with all of this money collected and so few students.
By thomas
May 15, 2007 9:17 AM | Link to this
I don’t see what all the money is being spent on. $58 million increase on what? The teachers aren’t going to see any money. The students are going to see any money. It will be frittered away by bigwigs only on things they want.
By V for Vendetta
May 15, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this
Rick, as a Lawrenceville resident I’m surprised you’re not saying the opposite. I think Gwinnett has a disproportionately large number of immigrants flooding its borders when compared with Cobb and the ATL. Overall, the budgets reflect the modest cost of living increases and what not, but they don’t seem to make sense when compared with student growth.
I would take a look at the BS programs (and all the greenbacks dumped into ESOL) for clarification. Also - and I’ve said this before - take a look at the use of “technology for technology’s sake.” Cobb and Gwinnett are especially guilty of this. I have seen untold numbers of computers going unused in teachers’ classrooms. In some Cobb and Gwinnett schools, where computer labs nearly number in the double digits, the individual “student” computers in the classes go untouched. This seems like a monumental waste of money. Why do ALL classes receive the same treatment? Does an art room or even a Language Arts room really benefit from having ONE computer tucked away in the corner? If the entire class is working on something, they need to go to a lab. If one kid needs to do some work on a project for some reason, why can’t he go to the library (the library at my school is STACKED with computers)? Look at the money pit created by technology.
And as One Word said . . . it all goes back to politics. Do you really think they put all of those stinking computers in the school simply for the benefit of the students? Hardly. It’s all about bragging rights.
By JustMe
May 15, 2007 9:30 AM | Link to this
One more thing to add about APS….
Don’t forget that most of the very wealthy that live in the APS area don’t even send their kids there, but rather opt to send them to private schools.
So where does all of the APS money go?
By mmm
May 15, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this
OK you have a 3% rise in teacher’s salaries, that leaves 3% for both student and “services” growth.
Does anyone know what the average property tax growth is in the Metro area.
I bet it is a case of “we are getting it without raising millage—must spend it somewhere”.
By Ernest
May 15, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this
For the numbers you provided, the budgets are going up a little over 5%. Most of it is going towards salaries. Remember, anywhere from 87-93% of the budget goes towards salaries. The years of service employees may have also impacts this number.
I also think fuel costs will have a significant impact on budgets this year.
By V for Vendetta
May 15, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this
Well Ernest, we can be sure it’s not teacher salaries. :-)
We get the usual 3% “cost of living” increase and a pat on the back (or punch in the face depending on how you look at it).
By JustMe
May 15, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this
Ernest,
So teachers salaries increase by 3%, but the budget does up by 5%. What happens to the other 2%? And 2% may not sound like much, but if you look at the dollars, it is a lot.
If the general public knew that teacher salary went up by 5%, there won’t be this rather large question looming.
By jim d
May 15, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this
Rick in L’ville,
AH HA!!
Yet another Mexican plot—It’s starting to appear trhey really are out to get us.
By jim d
May 15, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this
V,
until folks like the GCPS system start using competitive bidding process’s for purchasing computer equipment you can rest assured the single bid negotiated costs will continue to sky-rocket.
By Ernest
May 15, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this
V and JustMe, you both raise a good point about the additional 2%. If I had to guess, it would be for some combination of maintenance supplies and agreements/contracts along with dynamic expenses such as utility and fuel costs. Like JimD said, sole source bids might do it also… :) And let’s not forget consultants…
By jim d
May 15, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this
Ernest,
Consultants?
you mean like the folks that retired from the system and then come back?
By Ernest
May 15, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this
JimD, one has to get up pretty early in the morning to get one by you :). I said that jokingly and hopefully that is not a reason for the increase in school budgets.
By jim d
May 15, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this
Well ernest,
that money does come from somewhere and you might be surprised as to the amounts of money places like Gwinnett dole out to “loyal employee’s” after retirement.
By Larry
May 15, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
I think there are a couple reasons changes in student population do not directly correlate to the General Fund the way it seems they should.
First, you have what is basically economics of scale. Since we’re only discussing the General Fund, enrollment changes primarily impact salaries. Larger school systems have a smaller per capita administrative overhead, which allows systems like GCPS (the only one of these budgets with which I’m familiar) to add students with little or no additional administrative costs. This reduces the percentage increase indicated by enrollment numbers.
On the other hand, you would need a considerable decrease in enrollment to eliminate positions, which increases the per capita overhead and has a similar effect on the budget.
The other, probably more important, issue is that the funding mechanism acts as a cap, not a windfall. For example, GCPS had to budget for 500 additional teachers. This is a given, which can’t be changed. Using last year’s numbers for other expenses put the budget over projected revenue, so some things got cut. Some travel, administration, outside services, and supply expenses received some serious cuts to pay for increases which can’t be controlled. It wouldn’t surprise me to discover the Gateway’s demise was more driven by savings than the BOE’s acceptance of inerrant logic heaped on them by a certain parent’s group.
Some cuts, like extending the service life of equipment, can be more than a little risky, so I personally can’t fault anyone for avoiding a risk they didn’t absolutely have to take.
By catlady
May 15, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
HEY, FOLKS, I HATE TO SHOUT BUT CRCT SCORES ARE OUT! GET READY!
By 30YearsIn
May 15, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
Yikes! Here come the sleepless nights and the irate parent phone calls!
By Lisa B.
May 15, 2007 6:22 PM | Link to this
Yes, Catlady, we wait with intense anxiety to see if we again made AYP. I am fearful for my son’s school, because 98% of the students passed last year (an impossible achievement over the 97% the prior year). Of course, his school still has to improve. I believe 99% have to pass this year. The children who didn’t make it last year are all Special Ed. Hey, but 100% is possible if our expectations are high enough, right? Forgive the sarcasm. Three more days til school’s out!
By catlady
May 15, 2007 7:12 PM | Link to this
Lucky you, Lisa. We have 8 more days to suffer. I always look forward to how much worse the crct results are even though we have these “miracle” programs in place. Maybe this year will be different. Then comes the spin from the central office. We are like a Whirlpool Washer.
By Lisa B.
May 15, 2007 8:13 PM | Link to this
We were pretty disgusted with our 5th grade writing scores, though in years past, we’ve done quite well. It doesn’t matter what hoops we jump through, the tests and scoring criteria keep changing. I’m ten years into the profession, so I know I’ll continue to hop through hoops as we change and change and change things for the sake of change.
By catlady
May 15, 2007 8:36 PM | Link to this
Lisa, I don’t think it is change for the sake of change, but rather change to justify jobs at the DOE. But that is 34 years in education speaking, and perhaps not correct.
By Ernest
May 15, 2007 8:45 PM | Link to this
Catlady, where are the scores? Are they on the state BOE website? Post a link if you have one.