The share of tax dollars that actually wind up in Arizona classrooms slid again last year, to the lowest level in the 11 years the state has been monitoring.
New figures Thursday from the Auditor General’s Office found less than 55 cents of every dollar schools received was used for “classroom spending.”
That includes salaries and benefits for teachers, aides and coaches. It also covers supplies such as pencils and paper, athletics, and activities like band or choir.
But that 54.7 percent figure exposes only part of the situation.
That percentage — which comes out to $4,094 per student — is applied to total per-pupil operational spending in 2011 of $7,485. In fact, total per pupil spending has declined now for the second straight year.
In 2009, the total per-pupil figure was $7,908. So the 56.9 percent classroom spending figure that year translated out to $4,500.
Put another way, actual real-dollar classroom spending is 9 percent less than it was two years ago.
But Auditor General Debra Davenport said the culprit is not administrative costs, which includes superintendents, principals, business managers, clerical staffing and human resources. While that rose slightly, to 9.7 percent, she said it is still below the national average of 10 percent.
Davenport said other factors are at work in keeping classroom spending below the 61 percent national average.
One, she said, is classroom size.
“Compared to the most recent national average, Arizona has a larger student-to-teacher ratio,” Davenport said. Using 2009 figures — the most recent available on a national level — the national average was 15.3 students per teacher; it was 17.1 in Arizona.
And by last year, she said, Arizona class size grew to 18.1 students per teacher.
At the same time, Davenport said, Arizona school districts spent more on plant operations than the national average, most of which she said was for energy.
And Davenport said Arizona districts spend more on student support than the national average. That includes counselors, audiologists, speech pathologists, nurses, social workers and attendance services.
“The higher spending may be related to the state’s higher poverty rate” than the national average, she said. “Students living in poverty are more likely to use such support services.”
Davenport said money is not everything when it comes to student achievement. She said other factors include curriculum, teacher quality, parental involvement, school and class size, student use of technology and poverty rate.
But she said it does matter. Davenport said there is a “statistically significant relationship” between the percentage that school districts spend in the classroom and achievement, as shown by Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards, the AIMS tests.
Davenport said, though, this correlation could reflect something else: Districts with leaders who are efficient in controlling their non-classroom operating costs may also be efficient in promoting effective instruction.
Andrew LeFevre, press aide to state Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal, said his boss believes that classroom spending comparisons between Arizona and other states are not valid. LeFevre said Arizona has “special challenges,” including a large number of students with special needs as well as extremes of heat and cold that result in high utility bills.
LeFevre acknowledged that, even just considering Arizona-only numbers, the trend in classroom spending has been negative. But he said Huppenthal believes that is linked to the economy.
“We’ve been in tough economic times,” LeFevre said. “Arizona has been hit harder than other states.”
mesateacher posted at 7:40 pm on Thu, Mar 1, 2012.
Arizona ranks 49th in spending per pupil out of 50 states. Makes you proud, doesn't it? That statistic about 18-19 students per class is a joke in Mesa. High school classes routinely have 30-40 or even more. I don't care how little we spend in administration - it's still too high. In Phoenix alone, there are over 50 school districts. Each with its own highly paid superintendency and staff. For too long, Arizona has let the right wing, low tax "leaders" run this state down, and it's given us a lousy school system. Remember what Craig Barnett of Intel said: given Arizona's lack of commitment to quality education, he wouldn't build Intel plants here today. What other companies and fine people have we lost due to our schools? Wake up Arizona! Contact your representatives and demand more school funding, drastic reductions in administration, cutting sports, and get our schools up to international quality!
Moderation posted at 12:40 pm on Fri, Mar 2, 2012.
They get what they pay for. One day Intel will find it is just not worth it anymore and pull up roots and leave. Then watch as every sitting legislator scrambles to "reinvest in the great State they represent." Politicians only think ahead when its about their political careers or how to defeat the other party in the next election. If you gave the politicians the option of making education in Arizona number one in the world, but it would mean the end to their careers. I doubt one in ten would support education. Our political parties on both sides are just self serving when they talk about their service to our state.
Thanks for being a Teacher by the way! I know its a tough job and getting tougher.
Rational Human posted at 3:35 pm on Fri, Mar 2, 2012.
If parents want more of their taxes going to education and make their desire known to their elected officials, more money would go to education. As for the broken education system, there is a major problem that needs to be adjusted. Elementary school children were given Presidents Day off from school. I went out and ask several of them who the president was and none of them knew his name. Why are kids given the entire summer off to play? There was a need back when most lived on farms and were needed to help bring in the crops, but that's is no longer true. Children today study video games more than math these days. The problem is that you get what you demand in a democratic system and parents demand little of their own children. The sad truth is that parents are getting exactly what they want to give their own children. Politicians serve the squeaky wheel just as they have always served. Parents are the majority of tax paying families yet they aren't being served? Who's fault is that?
wdgnas posted at 6:32 am on Sun, Mar 4, 2012.
LeFevre said Arizona has “special challenges,” including a large number of students with special needs as well as extremes of heat and cold that result in high utility bills.
what a load of bs. like arizona is the only state that has students with special needs as well as extremes of heat and cold.
PublicSchoolProduct posted at 10:50 am on Sun, Mar 4, 2012.
#Rational Human wrote, "Children today study video games more than math these days."
This may very well be true in may cases. But.. this is NOT the fault of the schools! Until parents send their kids to school ready to learn (fed, clothed, rested, supervised (i.e. video games, TV, play friends, etc.), complete homework, etc.) teachers will continue to fight an uphill battle to help their STUDENTS be successful. We need to stop "beating up" on teachers and educate parents about what their role is in helping their CHILDREN be successful!
DrJCA1 posted at 12:00 pm on Mon, Mar 5, 2012.
The entire educational system of this country is sliding into the toilet. Many reasons are at play here. First and foremost is the fact that too many families are that in name only, spending as little time involved with thier kids as possible:
Both parents simply "must" work to fund their two new Lexus cars, million dollar houses, SUVs, pleasure boats, Armani suits, and Gucci handbags, along with all the newest electronic toys they can buy. Dinner as a family? Doesn't happen. Parental involvement in their schools? Doesn't happen. Mom and dad helping with, and being active in the schoolwork? Doesn't happen. Video games, cell phones, and the TV or computer is now the mom or the dad (or both) to many children.
Please don't give me the manure of being poor contributing to this situation. I grew up in the slums of Brooklyn in the 50s. We had nothing and were all as poor as synagogue mice (obviously a reference to our Jewish neighborhood). We did have, however, a mother who stayed home and raised the children, ensured the family was a real one, and kept the community together as a whole caring unit. We had teachers who actually cared about us and taught us well, even with 50-60 kids in each class. We were taught respect for authority figures such as teachers, the police and fire departments, and adults. We learned our values from our families, not the computer or TV. If we caused any problems at school, our tushes would not be happy and when we got home, god help us from our parents. Now the so-called "parents" want to sue the schools if they so much as look at their "little darlings" in a negative way.
Since the 60s, we have abrogated our responsibilities as adults and as parents, put materialistic things ahead of our children, and have gone from being Americans first, to a collection of selfish and self-serving special interest groups who care nothing for anyone else. Money for the schools? Nope. 1,000.00 for two superbowl tickets or 60K for a car? Sure, no problem.
Very sad state of affairs indeed.
Progress posted at 8:39 am on Sat, Mar 10, 2012.
AZ problem is that long ago the public and the politicians decided to attract a migrant community to boost revenue, while maintaining a low tax structure. That migrant community is highly influential today and that is why tax revenues in our state and other states continue to drop. That migrant population is otherwise known as the "snowbirds". In many cases they have little vested or do not see a personal value in a strong educational system, since most of them are long since removed from the classroom. Their interests lay in retirement comfort and low cost living, which AZ has accommodated for way too long. As our population ages this will continue to be a problem because it them becomes a battle between social programs, such as our Social Security and Medicare Systems vs our Educational Systems. Solution, our elderly class need to wake up and recognize the fortune they've been blessed with that permits them to continue to benefit today and that without a strong, vibrant and well educated society, these benefits will erode and eventually be lost.
chuckles3 posted at 7:50 am on Fri, Mar 23, 2012.
Yes, the answer is obviously more money per student. Why, look at Newark, NJ and Washington DC...they spend the most money per student and just look at the results...The simpletons who regurgitate talking points about education spending make me sick.