Dearest Readers,
Today's staffing and enrollment snapshot takes us to Swartz Creek Community Schools (25180) in Genesee County.
And this one is a good example of why headcount and FTE should never be treated as though they mean the same thing.
Between 2014–15 and 2024–25, student enrollment declined:
🎓 Students
3,965 → 3,483
Down 482 students (−12.2%)
At the same time, the number of people appearing in the district's staff headcount increased:
👥 All Staff Headcount
731 → 859
Up 128 (+17.5%)
But look at what happens when we measure staffing by full-time equivalent (FTE) instead:
🏛� All Staff FTE
448.89 → 425.81
Down 23.08 (−5.1%)
So, Swartz Creek reports more people in its staff headcount, but fewer total full-time-equivalent positions.
That distinction matters.
Looking deeper into the individual categories:
🏛� Administrators
Headcount: 22 → 28 (+27.3%)
FTE: 21.19 → 27.50 (+29.8%)
🍎 Teachers
Headcount: 219 → 212 (−3.2%)
FTE: 215.39 → 211.38 (−1.9%)
👩�🏫 Day-to-Day Substitute Teachers
Headcount: 94 → 150 (+59.6%)
📚 Paraprofessionals/Aides
Headcount: 111 → 136 (+22.5%)
FTE: 96.11 → 60.35 (−37.2%)
🔧 Non-Instructional Staff
Headcount: 238 → 297 (+24.8%)
FTE: 116.20 → 126.58 (+8.9%)
The paraprofessional numbers are particularly interesting. There were 25 more people reported in the category, while the category represented 35.76 fewer FTE.
And that's precisely why simply saying "staff increased by 128" wouldn't tell the whole story.
Over the decade:
Student enrollment: −12.2%
Staff headcount: +17.5%
Staff FTE: −5.1%
Same district. Same decade. Three very different numbers depending on what we're measuring.
Context matters.
Source: Michigan Department of Education, Staffing and Enrollment Data, 2014–15 and 2024–25.
Data compiled and visualized by Lady Budgetdown using publicly available records.
With receipts and respect.
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