Dearest reader,
Next stop: Gaylord Community Schools.
Ten years of numbers can tell quite a story.
From 2014–15 to 2024–25, Gaylord lost 349.32 pupils - an 11.34% decline.
But during that same period, per-pupil spending increased across every category I reviewed.
After adjusting for inflation:
• All Sources Revenue per pupil: +20.74%
• Total Instruction per pupil: +17.15%
• Instructional Support per pupil: +20.12%
• Business & Administration per pupil: +31.55%
• Operations & Maintenance per pupil: +72.70%
And then there is teacher pay.
Average teacher salary increased from $61,892 to $70,019 - an $8,127 increase on paper.
But after accounting for inflation?
That represents a 16.71% decline in purchasing power.
So while enrollment fell 11.34%, inflation-adjusted spending per pupil grew substantially, particularly in Operations & Maintenance and Business & Administration, while average teacher salary failed to keep pace with inflation.
That does not tell us whether every dollar was spent wisely or poorly.
It does tell us where to start asking questions.
Because, dearest reader, budgets are about priorities, and ten years of receipts give us a pretty good view of where those priorities have gone.
All figures come from MDE Bulletin 1014 using the same methodology I use for every district.
With receipts and respect. 👑
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