District 95 needs a business approach July 9th

If in 2007, General Motors had produced fewer cars than in 2002, stockholders would expect changes to be made.

They would expect fewer employees and along with that, fewer managers. It would not be unexpected if salaries and hiring were frozen. Ways would be found to cut costs. All of these approaches to dealing with lower production would be considered prudent and commonsensical.

But in the parallel universe that is the public school system in Illinois, the exact opposite happens. Lesser output requires more employees, more managers for those employees, higher salaries for employees and a 43 percent increase in overall costs. Obviously, common sense and fiscal restraint tied to production is not something you see in the public school system.

The specific school district I am talking about is Lake Zurich District 95, though I am sure it is not the only one. According to its 2002 financial statements District 95 had 6,429 students. This compares to its current Web site that states an enrollment of 6,424 students. In other words lower production in 2007 than in 2002.

But if we check the District 95 budgets for that time period, we can see that the Education Fund (basically teacher salaries and benefits) has gone from $38.4 million in 2002 to $54.8 million in 2007 — an increase of 43 percent.

In addition, the number of teachers and administrators went from 463 to 536 — an increase of 73 teachers for fewer students.

And they didn’t stop there; the number of administrators or managers for this lower production went up an amazing 63 percent, from 19 to 32. Also for fewer students, there were these important curriculum upgrades: more art teachers, more music teachers, more psychologists and more physical education teachers.

And in yet another sign of fiscal restraint, the number of employees making over $100,000 per year increased 150 percent, from 7 to 18. And according to the teachers union, even more money is needed for fewer students.

I know this because the union representative from District 95, Sandra Edwards, wrote a letter to the Herald (Fence Post, May 16) criticizing state politicians for not increasing taxes for more school funding.

Apparently it is the teacher union’s position that 43 percent more spending for less output is not enough. If General Motors did that, it would be bankrupt. But in Illinois, the ones going bankrupt are the taxpayers.

And there is another issue with the 2002 student enrollment count. That was the year of the education fund referendum that barely passed with a 17-vote majority. One of the biggest selling points for the referendum was the union and administrators’ projection of future student enrollment from 2002 to 2007.

The number they magically came up with was 7,806 students in 2007, an estimate that turned out to be 1,400 students, or 22 percent, too high. The enrollment projections were exaggerated and the referendum passed — barely. My, my, what a coincidence. Vote “no”