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NJ Spotlight--Interactive Map: Surveying Administrative Costs per Pupil Across NJ
Administrative costs range from a low of 4 percent of the budget in Avalon to nearly 40 percent for Camden’s Freedom Prep Charter School
While not the most expensive part of a school budget, administrative costs eat up about $1 of every $10 spent per pupil for general purposes and have been rising.
The Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending released earlier this month by the state Department of Education calculated a statewide average of $1,639 budgeted per pupil for administration in the current school year. That's slightly more than last year and about 5 percent higher than in 2013-2014, the data shows.
Administrative costs per pupil made up almost 11 percent of the average statewide "budgetary cost per pupil." This total includes classroom, extracurricular activity, maintenance, and other expenses found in virtually all districts, but excludes pension payments, transportation, capital outlay, and other costs that can vary widely. The statewide average budgetary cost rose by about the same percentage as administrative spending did, to nearly $15,300.
The guide did not report a grand total budgeted for the current school year. Last year, the average New Jersey district spent close to $19,700 per student in total, including pension and other payments.
This is the 20th year for the guide, published as a way to allow the public to understand spending within a district and compare it to districts of similar size and type.
Administrative costs per pupil are highest in the special-service districts that serve disabled students and in vocational districts, where overall expenses tend to be highest. Topping all districts was Warren County Special Services, which expects to spend nearly $7,500 per pupil on administration. Just three districts -- the K-6 West Cape May and Washington Borough, Warren County, districts, and Lacey, a K-12 district -- are spending less than $1,000 per pupil on administrative costs this year.
Colleen O'Dea | April 29, 2016
NJ Spotlight—Op-Ed: A New Model for Innovation, Even in the Smallest School Districts
‘Clustering’ to share developers and resources, ‘lab sites’ both to learn and to be free to failIn this new digital ecosystem, the connection between technology, innovation, and ultimately Student success is dependent on the ability to create, produce, and implement programs that support the needs of the 54.8 million students in the United States. Throughout schools in the United States, districts are at some point on the continuum of integrating innovative learning experiences into their curriculums, spaces, practices, and policies.
Throughout the United States districts are engaged in a call to action in understanding the crossroad between the procurement process and meeting the needs of the students they serve.
Adam D. Fried| April 29, 2016
Cherry Hill Courier-Post -- Should your high schooler start class later?
A national study recommends middle and high schoolers start the school day later in the morning.
But would it work for New Jersey's students?
The state Department of Education will take public comment throughout the Garden State next week in its investigation of later start times.
The first regional meeting will be held in Camden County May 2, with a central regional meeting in Middlesex County May 4 and a northern regional meeting in Hudson County May 10..
Carly Q. Romalino| April 28, 2016
