SAGINAW PUBLIC SCHOOLS: THE LEDGER HAS ARRIVED
Lady Budgetdown opened the ten-year ledger for Saginaw Public Schools, and my quill stopped rather abruptly at one particular line.
Pupil count fell from 6,900 to 4,961.30.
That is a loss of 1,938.70 pupils or 28.10%.
Meanwhile, all-sources revenue per pupil climbed from $10,382 to $19,784.
That is an increase of 90.56%.
Total instruction per pupil nearly doubled, rising 98.12%.
Instructional support per pupil rose 165.46%.
Operations and maintenance per pupil rose 114.50%.
And then there is Business & Administration.
$1,035 per pupil in 2014–15.
$3,103 per pupil in 2024–25.
An increase of 199.81%.
For perspective, inflation over the same period was 35.83%.
So while the district was serving 28% fewer pupils, Business & Administration spending per pupil nearly tripled.
Now, an increase does not automatically mean an improper expense. It does, however, earn itself a rather prominent place in the ledger.
Because when enrollment falls by nearly 2,000 pupils while spending per pupil climbs this dramatically, Lady Budgetdown has questions about where the money went.
And I suspect I am not alone. 👀🪶
With receipts and respect.
Saginaw Public Schools
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