Baltimore City School Dollars-Where Do They Go? (North Beach: 2015, daycare)

[B.K.]

So by now we're all familiar with yesterday's nonsensical blocking of traffic in downtown. The "protester's" leader claims the demonstration was in response to state monies going to expand Baby Bookings, while there is $11.8 million in the state budget that could be dumped into City Schools.
Baltimore already spends more per student (est. $15-17K/student) than any other district except D.C.
The high-school graduation rates are dismal, at best-somewhere between 25-30%-if you believe the best case scenario numbers coming from North Avenue. (Anyone remember Andres Alonzo? You know, the much-ballyhooed former City School's Czar who handily ducked out, just before a grade and graduation fixing scandal emerged?)
We are constantly told that there is a shortage of books and other teaching materials. We are reminded that school buildings are ancient and outdated, and need very costly improvements, or complete replacement.
Watching the nightly news, we see Baltimore Teacher's Union members and apologists protesting the firing of 100 administrators from the school's system, while denying that we spend too much per student, and insisting that we have a strong public school system in place, despite the numbers, and the obvious functional illiteracy of much of the City's populace. More than one employee voiced a hope that the fired, deadwood administrators would be re-hired as City School's teachers. Given the Union's political clout, some of that will undoubtedly happen.
So where do all of those school dollars go? We've heard for a long time that 40-60% go to top-heavy administrative positions at North Avenue. City Schools offer free/reduced price lunches and breakfasts year round, even when school is out of session, to something like 80% of City students. Before and after school daycare services for younger students, and the children of students, account for another chunk of the budget. Busing, and busing vouchers make up another portion.
City Schools CEO Gregory Thornton's salary is $290,000/year. His dozen chief lackeys and political supporters (the "Directors of Principal Support") have sinecures averaging $130K. More than half of his 150+ member front office staff earn in excess of $100,000. Purportedly, school principals are paid very well, while most teachers are not. Meanwhile, $60,000,000 (yes, that's sixty million dollars!) seems to have mysteriously vanished from the City School's coffers, and while demanding mo' money from the State, they are steadfastly refusing any attempts at an audit.
Certainly there appears to be an ongoing pattern of horrible mismanagement, conducted by the corrupt and clueless.
Most of the State's budget, that means most of our taxes, goes towards education.
Most discouraging to me, at least today, was a passing image I saw on tonight's local evening news. A teacher had posted a sign on the wall of her classroom reminding students to:
1) Show you're work
B) Make sure to lable

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

[steppinthrax]

You already have answered you're own question. I suppose most of it goes to a top-heavy administrative staff that over-justify themselves in salary/supplies and other expenditures. I would say some is going into someone's nefarious bank account (laundered). I would say most kids in Baltimore City schools don't have a desire to learn nor do their parents. They lack the motivation/drive and general discipline to learn. Most of their fates have already been made for them in terms of career!

[picardlx]

I always see the average amount spent per pupil, but is there any variance associated with that average (particularly at the school level)? I ask this literally and not rhetorically.

[North Beach Person]

The per student number is an average across all students. I don't know the numbers but I would be willing to bet that Baltimore has a higher than average SpED population, that right there is going to increase costs. An out of system placement can cost up to $200K or more per year if it's a boarding situation. Five students gets you $1M right there.

Since Baltimore has such low scores MSDE starts demanding more staff to track test scores, testing, compliance, etc. That's all unfunded mandate stuff.

The lunch program is funded by the feds so some of that isn't out of local funding, wages may be mostly local. When a school hits 80% FARM eligibility then every kid enrolled there gets it.

Like it or not, there are kids in every single school system in the state whose only meal is what he gets at school.

There are also large contracts with testing companies like Pearson which soak up millions every year.

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

The per student number is an average across all students. I don't know the numbers but I would be willing to bet that Baltimore has a higher than average SpED population, that right there is going to increase costs. An out of system placement can cost up to $200K or more per year if it's a boarding situation. Five students gets you $1M right there.

Since Baltimore has such low scores MSDE starts demanding more staff to track test scores, testing, compliance, etc. That's all unfunded mandate stuff.

The lunch program is funded by the feds so some of that isn't out of local funding, wages may be mostly local. When a school hits 80% FARM eligibility then every kid enrolled there gets it.

Like it or not, there are kids in every single school system in the state whose only meal is what he gets at school.

There are also large contracts with testing companies like Pearson which soak up millions every year.

I agree with North Beach. While the city schools administration is probably top heavy, Special ED is the real culprit. An average student in an average city school isn't particularly well funded. Since Special ED costs are legally mandated can't be cut, severe cuts to the overall budget will hit average kids very hard. Average kids aren't even a consideration.

[steppinthrax]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

I agree with North Beach. While the city schools administration is probably top heavy, Special ED is the real culprit. An average student in an average city school isn't particularly well funded. Since Special ED costs are legally mandated can't be cut, severe cuts to the overall budget will hit average kids very hard. Average kids aren't even a consideration.

I don't think this is a "Baltimore thing" or SPed thing. It's more of a inner city school thing. As one has indicated DC schools are also funded high.

The over-funding of black public schools.

Baltimore public schools are lavishly over-funded

I love this sentence

"Lavish theaters, Olympic sized swimming pools, free musical instruments, small classroom sizes and countless other luxuries are heaped on the students. Despite being given every benefit imaginable, tests schools are dismal."

You give these kids every single possible imaginable tool to succeed, yet the performance is poor.

I also imagine school administrators getting every imaginable kickback for justifying the olympic size swimming pool!!!!

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by steppinthrax

I don't think this is a "Baltimore thing" or SPed thing. It's more of a inner city school thing. As one has indicated DC schools are also funded high.

The over-funding of black public schools.

Baltimore public schools are lavishly over-funded

I love this sentence

"Lavish theaters, Olympic sized swimming pools, free musical instruments, small classroom sizes and countless other luxuries are heaped on the students. Despite being given every benefit imaginable, tests schools are dismal."

You give these kids every single possible imaginable tool to succeed, yet the performance is poor.

I also imagine school administrators getting every imaginable kickback for justifying the olympic size swimming pool!!!!

The situation is whole lot more complicated than that.

From a not racist actual news source:

These Are The States With The Best And Worst School Systems, According To New Rankings

[steppinthrax]

Originally Posted by designer_genes

The situation is whole lot more complicated than that.

From a not racist actual news source:

These Are The States With The Best And Worst School Systems, According To New Rankings

That article describes STATES. I believe the OP is discussing Baltimore. We also have been discussing Baltimore.

But to comment on your article, yeah MD has high performing schools. But if you were to remove Baltimore from the picture the performance would be even higher!

[B.K.]

Originally Posted by designer_genes

The situation is whole lot more complicated than that.

From a not racist actual news source:

These Are The States With The Best And Worst School Systems, According To New Rankings

I agree, as a statewide average Maryland has some of the best public schools in the Nation.
Baltimore City, which spends more per pupil than any other jurisdiction in the State, and more than all but one school's system in the entire Country, has the very poorest performing students, once again, not just in the State, but in damn near the entire Country.
Despite what the State says, and consistently demonstrates with high test scores Statewide, the majority of Baltimore City residents repeatedly demonstrate that education is simply not a priority for them. So why spend all that money on public schools for those who don't value it?
Demanding yet more money from the new Republican Governor for hopelessly broken City Schools is not going to fix that problem.
I am angry that I, and all tax-paying City residents, pay so much for education, and get so little in return.
I'm not sure how complicated that is.

[Rakin]

Pouring a whole lot more money down the Black hole is not going to improve the schools.

Maybe getting the kids at 2 years old into a program might help. That and a whole lot of free birth control.