Dearest reader,
Our next stop is Farwell Area Schools.
Same methodology. Same ten-year window. Same receipts.
And this one has some rather interesting numbers tucked inside the ledger.
From 2014–15 to 2024–25:
📉 Pupil FTE fell from 1,387.00 to 981.45 — down 29.24%.
Meanwhile, per-pupil dollars moved in the opposite direction:
🧾 All-sources revenue: +76.10% nominal / +29.64% after inflation
📚 Total instruction: +65.01% nominal / +21.48% after inflation
✏️ Instructional support: +136.84% nominal / +74.37% after inflation
🏛� Business & administration: +79.27% nominal / +31.98% after inflation
🔧 Operations & maintenance: +168.49% nominal / +97.67% after inflation
And then there is teacher pay.
Average teacher salary went from $53,316 to $64,216 — an increase of 20.44% on paper.
After adjusting for inflation?
📉 −11.33%.
So over this ten-year window, Farwell had roughly 29% fewer pupils, substantially more revenue and spending per pupil after inflation, while the average teacher salary lost purchasing power.
That does not tell us WHY each number moved.
But it does tell us where to start looking.
And, as always, Lady B prefers to let the ledger speak before wandering down any rabbit holes. 👀
Next up: staffing.
With receipts and respect. 💙
#LadyBudgetdown #FarwellAreaSchools #MichiganSchools #SchoolFinance #EducationSpending #TeacherPay #PublicSchools #Transparency #FollowTheMoney #WithReceiptsAndRespect