Myth Busters Sorting Fact from Fiction in Texas Public Education Presenter Name Presenter Title Presenter’s Organization

Overview “We must shrink government.” “Public schools are wasteful/inefficient.” “The legislature put more money into to public education last session than ever before.” It’s time for us to combat those myths!

Agenda 1.Examine the recurring attacks on public schools. 2.Debunk the myths with “the facts.” 3.Assist you in becoming effective advocates for your public schools.

“Districts have a Bloated Administration!” Critics claim: 1:1 ratio of administrators to teachers 1:1 ratio of non-teaching staff to teachers Schools can avoid cutting teachers This implies: Schools are stocked with do-nothing staff; Non-instructional staff provide no benefit to student learning; Schools are mismanaging public funds by cutting teachers rather than administrators/non-teachers.

District Administration – The Facts During the school year, schools employed 334,900 teachers vs. : – 6,800 central administrators (1:49 administrator to teacher ratio – 25,600 central and school administrators (1:13 administrators to teachers) Statewide, central administration costs $1.3 billion/year vs. $2.7 billion/year state funding cut 1:1 teacher/non-teacher ratio is true, but lacks context Sources: Statewide Academic Excellence Indicator System (TEA) School District Staffing Brief (gr.tasb.org)

“Superintendent Salaries Are Outrageous” Critics claim: More than 200 superintendents make more money than the Governor Superintendent salaries are outrageous This implies: School trustees are fiscally irresponsible Texas superintendents are taking taxpayers to the cleaners

Superintendent Salaries – The Facts Superintendent Salaries (Texas) Average supt. salary in Texas = $123,000 Median Texas supt. Salary = $107,000 Who else makes more than the Governor? Four of the Governor’s own staff 392 individuals on the State of Texas payroll, including the Education Commissioner Robert Scott. Superintendent Salaries (Comparable States) California ($158,000) New York ($163,000) Nation ($160,000). Governor’s non-salary benefits are significant Sources: Texas Tribune Superintendent Salary database TASB’s Superintendent Salary Survey,

“Charter Schools Are Better and Cheaper” Critics claim: Open-enrollment charter schools operate more cost-effectively than traditional public schools Charter schools academically outperform traditional schools This implies: The legislature would get “a bigger bang for the buck” by expanding charter schools (and spending less on traditional schools)

Charter Schools – The Facts For the school year: –Traditional public schools were allotted on average $5,708 in M&O revenue per weighted students –Charters received $5,746 $5,746 > $5,708 –Charters spend more on administration and less on “instruction” than do traditional schools Accountability Ratings (2009) % of type of school by Accreditation School Districts Charter Operators District Campuses Charter Schools Recognized or higher 73.5%43.5%70.4%40.1% Academically Acceptable 25.0%40.6%20.9%47.16% Academically Unacceptable 1.6%11.1%0.9%5.8%

“Public Education Got More State Funding Than Last Biennium” Critics claim: The legislature appropriated $1.6 B more for public schools this biennium than last biennium OR The legislature appropriated $3B more for public schools this biennium than last biennium This implies: School boards and administrators don’t need more money, they just want it! Programs are being cut, teachers fired, and class sizes are growing just to scare district taxpayers

Public Education Funding – The Facts Part 1 Disputing the $1.6B. claim: 2009 – legislature used $3.4B. in one-time federal funds to fund public education 2011 – loss of federal funds left $3.4B. budget hole for this biennium; so, legislature added $1.6B. more in state funds, leaving a budget hole of $1.8 B; and 2011 – legislature failed to pay for enrollment growth ($2.2B) over this biennium Disputing the $3B. claim: Legislature added $3 B. more state funding than last biennium state in Article III BUT Simultaneously reduced funding for public ed in Article IX by $3.1 B Source: Summary of Conference Committee On HB1 (Legislative Budget Board)

“Total appropriations for the Foundation School Program (FSP) are estimated to be $4.0 billion …below the amount required to fund the school finance program.” “General Revenue Funds outside of the FSP are reduced by $1.4 billion, or 52.8 percent compared to the biennium.” --- Legislative Budget Board “ Of the $50.8 billion in all funds, $47 billion is appropriated to TEA, a $4.4 billion decrease from fiscal appropriations. The budget appropriates $35.5 billion in all funds to the Foundation School Program, a decrease of $1 billion from fiscal spending.” --- House Research Organization Public Education Funding – The Facts Part 2

“Districts Are Shortchanging Their Students” Critics claim: Instructional Costs account for less than half of school spending “School districts are shortchanging their students to support 19 th century organizational bureaucracies” This implies: Waste, waste, waste… It’s no wonder that academic performance isn’t on the rise when schools spend less then half of their budget on the classroom

Instructional Spending – The Facts According to the AEIS, Districts spend: 58.4% of their operating budget on “Instruction” 4.5% of their operating budget on “Student Support” 3.6% on “Instructional-Related Services” 10.4% on Maintenance and operations 5.2 % on Food Service 2.7% on Student Transportation 3.1% on Central Administration 5.5% on School Leadership Source: Statewide Academic Excellence Indicator System (TEA)

Instructional Spending – The Facts Test Scores have improved dramatically: % of all students, by grade, that met standards – All Tests (TAKS): Texas high schools ranked in the first two places in Newsweek’s annual rankings Texas had 15 high schools in top 100; only New York had more (16) Sources: State Academic Excellence Indicator System, & Newsweek, “America’s Best High Schools,” June, 2011 Grade % 76%66%75%68%70%53%50% % 78%76% 75%69%65%84%

Let’s Discuss! Combat the myths: tell your community the facts about your district and schools Resources : Stump the Chump –Heard something about your schools that doesn’t sound quite true? Ask me.