Weighing in on Education: Is the Administration Too Heavy?

Recent press coverage of the Hancock ruling has been widespread, and a diversity of opinion exists. The lawsuit was brought against the Commonwealth by underperforming but poor communities looking for more funding, despite the billions of dollars that Massachusetts has poured into its schools since 1993, the year school education reform went into effect. Although our own senator, Jarrett Barrios, felt Hancock should prevail, a number of legislators have stated that it’s not more money schools needs – it’s how they spend it that’s important. For further information on the lawsuit, and various opinions on it, please see the symposium sponsored by MassInc. Symposium: The Hancock Case

That said, there has been a fair amount of criticism of the superintendent and his school committee during the last year concerning the overspending of their budget by a half-million dollars. This overspending added to the difficult financial issues currently facing the City, but the question on everyone’s lips, from McKinnon’s to Dunkin Donuts is this: “why do we need a superintendent and three assistant superintendents?” That’s the $250,000 question, actually, because $250,000 is what two administrators cost.

We looked at ten communities in the Commonwealth with a student enrollment similar to Everett. The ten communities hail from just about every corner in Massachusetts, from the Cape to the North Shore, from the wealthy to the not so wealthy. What is notable is this; not one of them has three assistant superintendents.

City/Town Enrollment Administration
Andover 5,939 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Barnstable 5,586 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Chelmsford 5,773 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Chelsea 5,578 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Everett 5,321 1 Supt. 3 Asst.
Revere 5,713 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Salem 4,923 1 Supt. 2 Asst.
Shrewsbury 5,562 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Somerville 5,616 1 Supt. 1 Asst.
Westford 5,112 1 Supt. 1 Asst.

It has been argued that one of our assistant superintendents isn’t a “real” assistant superintendent, although his cost to the taxpayers of $120K plus certainly puts him in that category. Salem, which has two assistant superintendents, is notable because each one of those administrators holds a doctorate degree. This is not the case in Everett, despite the fact that each of these gentlemen makes PhD or EdD money. This is another issue that the School Committee could review: is each of the school administrators properly qualified by the Department of Education? Were all the waivers filed (particularly in the case of the superintendent) and have they participated in properly accredited continuing education programs? (We don’t mean the online Phoenix University programs – we mean real university education).

Could $250K be better spent? Indeed it could. $250K could provide five more teachers to provide classroom instruction for our children. This would be a good place for the School Committee to begin reform – right at the top. But here’s the bigger question – does the School Committee dare to be that brave?