Where Does All the Money Go? Part 2

 

 

Many politicians argue too much money is spent on public education. Well, where does the money go? It goes to pay professional teachers and administrators a professional wage and benefits. By the way, teachers' salaries have lagged behind most other professional salaries in the last few years. Just saying....   Special education and other student support activities costs are a significant cost item for all public schools. Lights, heat and other costs to operate and maintain buildings and grounds in which to hold classes and other activities also cost money. Technology is becoming a huge cost factor in education just as it is in any other business. Transportation costs to safely carry students to and from school daily also consume a fair amount of money. Most towns and cities, in Maine at least, also carry debt payments on their buildings, which consume a large amount of money each year until that debt is paid.

 

Many have complained that school budgets contain money for things not needed. All of the above surely are needed to provide a comprehensive education to ALL children. In addition, state and federal mandates require school departments to allocate money to testing and other activities that create additional costs for school departments.

 

Did you realize that our government spends about $1 million a month to provide Betsy DeVos with police protection? That was the cost for ONE MONTH! Twelve million dollars a year would pay for many teachers, support staff and administrators in most schools in Maine. School departments that have been struggling to contain costs.

 

Why is it that this amount of money is allocated without blinking an eye, no questions asked? School boards go through hell each year at budget time justifying to the public every penny they asked for. In Maine, Governor LePage berates school boards and superintendents for spending too much money on things he disagrees with. Maybe Congress should grill the federal Education Department in the same way that local school boards get grilled for justification of that money.