Kramarczyk: MUSD will be fiscally responsible with override funds

By Jeff Kramarczyk

To continue with the ongoing opinion piece regarding questions and concerns relating to the November 2016 Maricopa Unified School District Override proposal, I would like to review a repeated concern of fiscal responsibility.

When discussing the need for override funds, it is a common sentiment that the MUSD does not do a good job managing money. Frequently referenced are the beliefs that there is a general mismanagement of funds and that the District is “too top heavy,” with excessive spending in the area of administration. It is the belief additional override money would only propagate these behaviors.

We can all agree that in every organization (whether public, private or personal), spending is a critical element to that organization’s success. We can also agree that nearly all organizations, when placed under the microscope, can find areas where they can improve spending behavior. MUSD is no exception.

However, under the direction of Aron Rausch, director of Business Services, the district regularly uses this “microscope” to identify opportunities for improvement and is held accountable to do so through state oversight. This will continue, with or without the additional $3.2 million gained from passing the override measure. A testament to their success is the award of the “Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting” from the National Association of School Business Officials, for seven consecutive years.

The belief that the district spends too much on administration is a misconception. The Arizona Office of the Auditor General completed a five-year (2009-2014) School District Spending Report on all districts across the state. This reveals that MUSD is spending 9.8 percent of its operating budget on administration or $683 per student annually, with an administrator to student ratio of 1:78. These numbers are approximately 13 percent below average when compared to peer districts and 10 percent below state average. When compared across the United States, MUSD is 38 percent below the national average. It is also important to note that MUSD has reduced administration spending by 18 percent over the past three years.

In addition, we can clearly not expect future adjustments to have the same impact on classroom spending that the proposed override measure will have. As for the case of administrative expenses, the numbers indicate that MUSD is running lean when compared to peer districts, the state of Arizona and the nation. There is no indication that additional override funds will change this behavior, as outlined in the Board-approved proposal. This proposal states these funds will be dedicated to additional teachers/programs and instructional technology. There is no mention of increased administrative expenditures.

This decision to approve or reject the override proposal is one that will impact us all for many years to come. Whatever that decision might be, make sure it is based on a complete and clear picture of the cost (financial or otherwise) and benefits.

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Jeff Kramarczyk is president of the Maricopa Education Foundation.

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This column appeared in the February issue of InMaricopa News.