From: "Pam Ellison"
If you want to go after the big bucks take a look at Administraitive costs of the district. I have had people tell me that we run lean in comparison to other districts. However, I have to say, that somehow Administrative salaries of Superintendents need to be reviewed. School Superintendents in many districts including ours, make well beyond that of what the Governor makes.
Does this make sense?
Keep the cuts as far away from the frontline education of my child.
Yes, it does make sense. There is no cap nationally on how much adminstrators can make. And to run a school district as large as St. Paul or Minneapolis where the budget is very large and there are thousands of employees and thousands of clients (students and parents and lifelong learners), you are certainly going to have to go on a national search and pay a competitive salary.
Some of the state agencies (such as the Perpich Center) the Legislature has a cap on what the Board can pay the top administrator. Unfortunately, the Board has not been able to hire an administrator for the last 2 years because that cap has prevented them from getting a qualified pool of candidates. Really stupid policy.
If you think of the St. Paul Schools as a HUGE corporation that is working to educate your children - the salaries they pay their top adminstrators are modest at best compared to what they could get in the private sector. Many people are in k-12 education because they love children and they love learning. Period. It's not for the money.
And administration is the "frontline education of your child". Someone has to be an adminstrator and help organize. Besides the teacher in the classroom you also need bus drivers, custodians, food preparers, nurses, teachers for those with special needs, specialists, etc.etc. TONS of people come together to deliver a quality education to your child and they need all the support you can give them. You need administrators.
Thanks to everyone in the St. Paul School System for doing such an excellent job. And I hope the Legislature realizes that it is important to educate our kids. In fact, it is the reason state government was set up in the first place. It should be their top priority.
St. Paul Schools have a lot of kids with a lot of special needs. When the Board has to cut 6% from their budget, that's a lot of kids that they have to tell, "You're not as important as someone else. We can't pay for you to get what you need to get a good education this year because we don't have the money." Pretty tough.
Renee Jenson Como
_____________________________________________
To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________
NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul
Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
