Local per student spending lower than state average

By KREMENA TODOROVA

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- New Ulm spent less than most school districts in the state on educating students in 2000-2001, according to numbers published by the Minneapolis Star Tribune March 24.

New Ulm spent $6,675 per student, compared to a state average of $7,439. It ranked 243rd among 343 operating districts in the state.

Ranking in the bottom third for costs "supports what we've been sharing with the public, that our spending is low and we try to operate as efficiently as we can", said Superintendent Harold Remme.

Remme said that the combination of low per-student spending, below-average combined administrative costs and above-average test results "gives strength to our educational system."

"We are pleased with where we fit."

Some nearby districts which spent more per student than New Ulm are: Comfrey, which with a per pupil spending of $9,898 was 13th most expensive in the state; Nicollet ($7,783 per pupil, 68th); Sleepy Eye ($7,377 per pupil, 124th); and Redwood Falls ($6,822, 217th).

Districts which spent less include: Springfield ($6,060 per pupil, ranked 322nd); Sibley East $6,316 per pupil, ranked 299th); and G.F.W. ($6,643, ranked 253rd).

New Ulm spent 49.4 percent of its budget on regular instruction in 2000-2001, compared to a state average of 47.2 percent.

Nearby districts that spent less than New Ulm on regular instruction include Nicollet (43.2 percent), G.F.W. (44.3 percent), Sleepy Eye (45.9 percent), Comfrey (47.4 percent), and Redwood Falls (48.3 percent).

Districts that spent more include Springfield (52.9 percent) and Sibley East (51 percent).

Overall, more than two-thirds of the state's school districts spent less than half of their budgets on regular instruction, according to the Star Tribune.

This is because districts are spending more on special education, administration, testing, and technology, analysts quoted by the Star Tribune said.

In line with this finding, area schools which spent smaller shares of their budgets on regular instruction, tended to spend a larger portion on special education (19.1 percent at Comfrey, 14.7 percent at G.F.W., 14.3 percent at Sleepy Eye) or administrator salaries (7.9 percent at G.F.W., 7.5 percent at each Nicollet and Sleepy Eye, compared to a state average of 5.4 percent).

Despite being a relatively big spending item, special education still represented a smaller portion of most area schools' budgets than the state average of 15.7 percent.

Some school officials caution that salaries for administrators do not reflect all administrative costs, and -- as is the case of New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, or G.F.W. -- the numbers tend to look better for some districts when other administrative spending (legal and payroll costs, counselors, etc.) is factored in.

Some highlights for Brown County districts:

New Ulm

Apart from regular instruction, New Ulm's bigger spending items were special education (14.1 percent of the budget, compared to a state average of 15.7 percent) and transportation (7.7 percent, compared to a state average of 5.6 percent).

Remme said special education costs were very close to those of similar-type districts.

The fairly high transportation spending is due to the "uniqueness" of the community, he said. Students are shuttled among several different public school sites, as well as more remote parochial sites like Immanuel Lutheran and MVL.

The portion of the budget spent on salaries for the superintendent, administrators and principals was about average (5.5 percent, compared to a 5.4 percent for the state). Other administrative costs (legal costs, data processing, human resources) were below average (1.8 percent of the budget, compared to 3 percent for the state). Spending on pupil services (health, counseling, social workers) was also below average (2.4 percent vs. 3.3 percent).

Comfrey

Comfrey was the state's 13th most expensive school and also spent a fairly large portion of its budget in 2000-2001 on special education (19.1 percent).

Comfrey Superintendent Bob Meyer attributed the high per-pupil cost to the fact that a full range of services is being spread among a small number of students.

With a student body of about 170, the school has a wide variety of curriculum offerings -- including, for example, advanced math, chemistry and physics and vocational courses. Some classes -- such as advanced math -- have less than 10 students. Others, like chemistry, have about 14.

The school also provides a day care, with 20 to 30 kids attending daily, and extra-curricular programs.

Spreading all these costs among fewer students drives costs up, stressed Meyer.

Yet the school needs to provide them to remain vital and maintain the community's longstanding commitment to independent education, said Meyer.

The fairly high special education spending reflects a special circumstance: Comfrey is home to a residential facility for girls, Meyer also said.

Administrative costs at Comfrey are well under control, with Meyer being the school's only administrator, and operating costs are also low because the facilities are new, Meyer also said.

Springfield

Springfield had relatively low per student costs, spent a relatively large share of its budget on regular instruction, and had relatively low special education costs (11.9 percent).

Administrative costs in 2000-2001 were just slightly higher than the average for the state (6.1 percent, compared to 5.4 percent).

Springfield Superintendent Luther Heller pointed to low capital spending after completing upgrades in recent years as a reason why Springfield is able to spend a larger share of its budget in the classroom.

He also stressed the schools' commitment to keeping costs low and dedicating as much funds as possible to classroom purposes.

While a more homogenous student body may be keeping special education costs down, Heller pointed out that Springfield's special education spending is right around a national average of 12 percent -- and said it has actually been rising over the past few years.

He said overall administrative costs, in spite of minor variations, are pretty average, with three administrators serving around 700 students.

Sleepy Eye

Sleepy Eye Superintendent Jay Haugen stressed that "there's a story" behind every number.

Trends unique to the community make Sleepy Eye's spending appear higher than it would otherwise.

For example, Sleepy Eye has an especially large parochial school system, with about as many students (about 700) going to parochial schools as go to public schools.

So, some 60 percent of the district's transportation spending (7.5 percent of the budget vs. a state average of 5.6 percent) is actually to transport parochial school students. Yet it is all charged to the public schools' account.

Special education numbers look relatively high (14.3 percent vs. a state average of 15.7 percent) for the same reason.

The district also provides a full-time counselor (about $40,000 a year), a half-time nurse, and some $20,000-$30,000 in textbooks and other materials to the parochial system.

Haugen estimates that as much as $600 is added to Sleepy Eye's per-student costs in money that just "flows through" the public school district but is spent on parochial schools.

Some 25 percent of Sleepy Eye students are speakers of English as a second language, Haugen also said. So $100,000 to $150,000 a year goes exclusively into programs for ESL students. Again, this is money that pads the overall spending figures.

Haugen also had an explanation for the district's relatively high administration costs (7.5 percent vs. a state average 5.4 percent).

The district gets some $300,000 a year in grants for special projects, many of which cater to migrant children, or early childhood programs. Aside from making per-student spending appear higher, grant writing takes up administrative time. And time is money.

For two years in a row, grant-writing administrators have brought in more than their salaries in grants, Haugen said.

The district also has chosen to fund two school-board approved positions not typical for districts its size, a finance director and a part-time dean of students (a disciplinary position).