Dearest reader,
Let us begin our look at Trenton Public Schools with the same place Lady Budgetdown begins with every district: the numbers.
Over the ten years from 2014–15 to 2024–25, Trenton's fall pupil count declined from 2,681 to 2,610.46, a decrease of just 2.63%.
During that same period, on a per-pupil basis:
All Sources Revenue increased from $10,143 to $15,638 — up 54.18% nominally, or 13.51% after inflation.
Total Instruction increased from $6,254 to $9,192 — up 8.21% after inflation.
Instructional Support increased from $1,111 to $1,823 — up 20.80% after inflation.
Business & Administration increased from $1,045 to $1,785 — up 25.75% after inflation.
Operations & Maintenance increased from $970 to $1,555 — up 18.02% after inflation.
And then there is the number that caught Lady Budgetdown's eye.
The average teacher salary went from $71,611 in 2014–15 to $68,332 in 2024–25.
That is not simply a failure to keep pace with inflation. The average salary was actually $3,279 lower in nominal dollars ten years later. After adjusting for inflation, that represents a 29.75% decline in purchasing power.
So here is where the first breadcrumb leaves us:
Trenton served only 2.63% fewer pupils, while inflation-adjusted revenue per pupil increased 13.51% and Business & Administration per pupil increased 25.75%.
Meanwhile, the average teacher salary lost nearly 30% of its purchasing power.
That does not, by itself, tell us why. It tells us where to look next.
And that, dear readers, is exactly what we shall do. 👀
Source: Michigan Department of Education, Bulletin 1014, 2014–15 and 2024–25. Figures are per pupil unless otherwise noted. Inflation adjustment uses cumulative CPI-U increase of 35.831185% for 2015–2025.
With receipts and respect. 🪶
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