Incentives key to reducing school administrative costs
Bangor Daily News, January 19, 2007
(excerpt) State rules require every school administrative unit, or SAU, to have a superintendent and to assign students to their town-operated public school. State rules set forth a host of regulations that require administrative oversight. So long as state rules do these things, there is little chance that changing the number of SAUs will reduce administrative costs per pupil.
Other states have tried to consolidate districts to reduce costs. They have not succeeded. See the experience of West Virginia, Wisconsin and Arkansas, for example (Rural School and Community Trust, "The Fiscal Impacts of School Consolidation," www.ruraledu.org).
Why does this seemingly logical reform not work? Because bureaucracies are skillful at creating new positions. How many new assistant superintendents will each new district have within 5 years? Bureaucracies find ways around mandates. Who would decide how such costs would be measured over time? What would be the consequences to a mega-district for not reducing per pupil administrative costs? A fine imposed years down the road would have little effect on operations now.
A major reason school administrative expenses are high is the state rules that now govern SAUs. So, cost-saving reform should start by reviewing and changing those rules. Allow towns and districts freedom to reorganize in ways that they can see will save money.
(excerpt) State rules require every school administrative unit, or SAU, to have a superintendent and to assign students to their town-operated public school. State rules set forth a host of regulations that require administrative oversight. So long as state rules do these things, there is little chance that changing the number of SAUs will reduce administrative costs per pupil.
Other states have tried to consolidate districts to reduce costs. They have not succeeded. See the experience of West Virginia, Wisconsin and Arkansas, for example (Rural School and Community Trust, "The Fiscal Impacts of School Consolidation," www.ruraledu.org).
Why does this seemingly logical reform not work? Because bureaucracies are skillful at creating new positions. How many new assistant superintendents will each new district have within 5 years? Bureaucracies find ways around mandates. Who would decide how such costs would be measured over time? What would be the consequences to a mega-district for not reducing per pupil administrative costs? A fine imposed years down the road would have little effect on operations now.
A major reason school administrative expenses are high is the state rules that now govern SAUs. So, cost-saving reform should start by reviewing and changing those rules. Allow towns and districts freedom to reorganize in ways that they can see will save money.
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