#2 in a series: Our tax dollars at work
Why is there a 70% increase in Administrative Costs over the last 7 years?
Our Superintendent and Business Manager have stated in public meetings that any attempt to reduce spending will result in cuts in "educational programs."
Stakeholders will continue to provide information to show that they are wrong as there are many areas where spending can be controlled without affecting the "educational programs" .
Do we need 19 secretaries at our District Office?
We recently sent a request to the School District under the Right to Know Law for information regarding all personnel who work directly for or who support the Administrators in the District. We sent this request due to the 70% increase in Administrative Costs in the District between 2001 and 2008.
When we received the District’s response, what jumped out at us immediately was the number of secretaries who support the 9 Administrators in the District Office. There are 19 secretaries who support the 9 Administrators in the District Office.
Following are the number of secretaries assigned to each Administrator at the District Office (out of courtesy we have not displayed individual salaries of the secretaries):
Administrator Number of Secretaries**
Superintendent: 2 at a total salary cost of over $100,000
Assistant Superintendent: 3 at a total salary cost of over $134,000
Personnel Administrator: 3 at a total salary cost of over $110,000
Business Administrator: 2 at a total salary cost of over $80,000
Special Education: 2 at a total salary cost of over $80,000
Transportation: 2 at an estimated salary cost of $60,000
Pupil Services: 1
Food Services: 1
Building and Grounds: 1
*1 Receptionist
*1 Secretary for Volunteer Coordinator
*Assigned Administrator unknown
**Above does not include the 17 secretaries who support the daily operations at six school buildings throughout our District.
Is our District Office overstaffed?
The approximate cost of the salaries alone for the 19 secretaries in the District Office is $700,000 per year. This does not include any benefits which would easily bring this cost close to $1,000,000 per year.
The District's investment in technology and computers should have reduced the need for this level of administrative support staff at the District Office
Besides the obvious question; “Why does anyone need more than one secretary?”, the reality of our world today demands a close review of this personnel issue. The facts are that most companies and government agencies are eliminating administrative support positions. This is due to the extensive office automation that is now available, i.e. voice mail systems, computers, and email. GVSD has spent millions on new technology but it apparently has not impacted their staffing behaviors at the District Office.
Many managers in the private and public sector no longer have secretaries. In the 21st Century it is now imperative that office operations become automated to reduce personnel costs and therefore reduce overall costs in order to stay competitive.
While we do not pretend to know the exact duties of each of the personnel listed above, the sheer number of administrative support personnel in the District Office should prompt a review by the School Board to seek cost reductions.
An unbiased staffing review is needed at District Office
The School District constantly increases their budgets and our taxes and threatens the School Board to “cut educational programs” if any cost reductions are sought. The above information is just another example of where the School Board should be demanding budget reviews and cost reductions which do not impact educational programs.
As we have said for the past year (2007-2008), there is plenty of room for more budget discipline and cost reductions in areas which do not directly impact our children’s education.
We are waiting for the School Board to act on the spending by the District.
