Monday, April 14, 2008

MPS Will Have Fewer Students But Spend More

Enrollment drops… spending goes up. 

Facing the prospect of another large decline in enrollment in Milwaukee Public Schools, Superintendent William Andrekopoulos on Monday released a $1.2 billion budget proposal for the 2008-09 school year that calls for few changes in programs.

The budget proposal is based on a forecast for a decline of 4.5% in the number of students attending the main roster of MPS schools, to 77,541. That would continue a major trend in recent years that has led to numerous school closings and cuts in staff.

Overall enrollment in all the programs under the MPS umbrella, including charter schools and alternative schools, will decline 4.1%, according to the budget forecasts, and employment by MPS will fall more than 2%, to about 10,700.

As directed by the School Board several months ago, Andrekopoulos’ budget calls for an increase in total spending of only .25%. In a change from past practice, MPS budget makers did not make a forecast for what that would mean for property tax bills that will go out in December. The document says no forecast will be made until after state officials provide figures on how much state aid will be coming to MPS next year.

Last year, administrators forecast a modest property tax increase when the School Board took up the budget in the spring. But by fall, when figures were finalized, a shortfall in state aid led to Andrekopoulos proposing a 16.4% increase in the amount to be collected in property taxes. The School Board trimmed that to 9% after there was a large citizen protest.

I would like to see a financial study of just how much enrollment has to go down before MPS actually cuts spending.  in 1998, 101,253 students were enrolled in MPS.  This year, that number has shrunk to less than 80,000.  Yet in that same period, MPS spending has risen every year.  I realize that a decline of a few students doesn’t necessarily reduce the actual cost required to sustain the district, but at the point that the district has lost 20% of its enrollment, shouldn’t spending go down?  How long can MPS justify increasing spending while educating fewer and fewer children?

(8) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2108 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. Remind me, how are the math scores at MPS these days?

    Posted by Aaron on April 14, 2008 at 2217 hrs


  2. That does seem like a familiar story for some reason.  Does MPS run the buses too? cool smirk

    Posted by capper on April 14, 2008 at 2223 hrs


  3. How long can MPS justify increasing spending while educating fewer and fewer children?

    Probably until the end of time, maybe longer.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on April 15, 2008 at 0016 hrs


  4. But look at the bright side when you compare it to a decade ago 21,000 less students are getting a bad MPS education.  That has to be some form of progress isn’t it

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 15, 2008 at 0712 hrs


  5. And this surprises you because…..............?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 15, 2008 at 1540 hrs


  6. Using MPS data, researcher Mike Ford at School Choice Wisconsin has documented that since 1990 MPS enrollment is down 4.4% but real spending (adjusted for inflation) is up 31.7%.  Why?  As documented separately by the nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, a major cause is multiple pension programs and health insurance benefits enjoyed by virtually no other citizens.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 15, 2008 at 1747 hrs


  7. George,

    ” As documented separately by the nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, a major cause is multiple pension programs and health insurance benefits enjoyed by virtually no other citizens.”

    No No its all about the kids..

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 15, 2008 at 1753 hrs


  8. Question for George Mitchell—What’s the status of the pending complaint against your pals at All Children Matter for the group’s admitted illegal activity in the Racine State Senate race in 2006?  What are you hearing from the gumshoes at the Government Accountability Board?

    I know that this sleazy group has been ordered to pay a multi-million dollar penalty for flaunting election laws in Ohio.  Is that what’s on the horizon here in Wisconsin?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 16, 2008 at 0710 hrs


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