Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Jami Lund
Freedom Foundation
A study released today by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice shows that from 1992 to 2009 student enrollment increased 19%, but staffing levels for schools increased 34%. The largest growth was in non-teaching staff, which grew 43%—more than twice the rate of student growth.
Washington public schools employed 100,310 full time equivalent employees in 2011-12 for the state’s 1,004,198 students, or one full time adult employee for each ten students.
The chart below shows the findings of the study and additional examples of cost increases.
Sources:
1 “The School Staffing Surge: Decades of Employment Growth in America’s Public Schools” Benjamin Scafidi, Oct 2012
http://tinyurl.com/StaffingSurgeStudy2012
2 “Historical Comparison of Statewide School District Personnel Table 2: Full-Time Equivalents & Average Base Salaries per 1.0 FTE” Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2011-12.
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PER/1112/tbl02.pdf
* 3 “1992-93 Shool year Certificated Personnel” Superintendent of Public Instruction (1992 unavailable)
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/pub/per/9293/jmbk92.txt
4 “School District Personnel Summary Profiles - 2008–09 - Final Table 19” Superintendent of Public Instruction
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PER/0809/tbl19.pdf
5 “School District Personnel Summary Profiles - 2008–09 - Final” Superintendent of Public Instruction.
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PER/0809/tbl07.pdf
6 “General Fund Revenues and Other Financing Sources FY 1991-1992” Superintendent of Public Instruction, Report 1078
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/FIN/9192/9121078.pdf
7 “Percent and Per Pupil of General Fund Revenues and Other Financing Sources by Enrollment Groups Fiscal Year 2008–2009” Superintendent of Public Instruction.
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/FIN/0809/Section%203%20pdf/Rev_OFS_Enr.pdf
100,310.28 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees 2011-12
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PER/1112/tbl07.pdf
1,004,197.98 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) students 2011-12
http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/rep/enr/1213/s1251s.pdf
