The School Budget

The School Department budget has been a popular spot for folks hollering for cuts. Sometimes it's a general "it's the biggest budget in the city. Cut it." Sometimes it's the wonderful, old "cut the administrators. They aren't needed."

The administrator situation is too convoluted to really get into with any kind of deep understanding. I talked to a very high-ranking DOE official today who is a pal, and some admin positions are state-required at a certain level of student use. My pal, of course, doesn't know all the ins and outs of what positions Fitchburg must have, what it doesn't. Sure, I could call the School Department, but I'm feeling a little lazy today. That said, my phone convo with my buddy is more research than 95 percent of the "cut the administrators" crowd has done. Here's my threshold: Tell me what job isn't needed or state mandated, and why. But the blanket "too many administrators" is as much urban myth as it is fact in my view right now.

Now, as for the money. There's been some talk here recently about minimum spending and things of that naturem but no one (including me) was really sure what the deal is. I said earlier this week that I thought the city was just at its minimum spending. I'm a silly boy. For this fiscal year, the city is $1.1 million under the state's required spending. Here's the link. That number seems to include some non-school budget items (like health insurance), which makes it difficult for me to say off the top of my head if the city is reaching its minimum next year. I'd be willing to bet on "no," and I'd be willing bet big on "if so, not by much."

My point? The city is falling short of state minimum requirements for education money, which is a shame. Or just making it, which is OK, I guess. In either case, it's not a place open for cuts. I'd love to say something like "this is an area where we can discuss the state's not stepping up and helping out," but it already throws $41 million into the pot next year, an overwhelming amount of the operating budget. It's tough to criticize the state on this one.

I know a lot of people out there want to gun for the School Department in times like this, but the blanket statements need to be backed up by facts some times.