STCS - 11-YEAR PER-PUPIL FINANCIAL LEDGER

[Shadowninja]

Dearest reader,

A longtime reader recently sent Lady Budgetdown a very specific request:

Would you do a deep dive into Saginaw Township Community Schools? The timing was rather perfect.

Over the past several months, Lady Budgetdown has heard a recurring criticism from administrators, board members, and others connected to public education:

The numbers need more context. Look deeper. Fair enough. So Lady Budgetdown is trying something new.

Saginaw Township Community Schools will be the first district where I test a deeper methodology, starting with the same receipts I have always used, but following them further.

And this is Step One.

The baseline.

I opened Michigan Department of Education Bulletin 1014 and followed Saginaw Township Community Schools from 2014-15 through 2024-25.

Every year is on the graphic.

Enrollment declined 6.7%.

Meanwhile, after adjusting for approximately 35.83% inflation:

Revenue per pupil increased 15.6%.
Instruction per pupil increased 8.3%.
Instructional support increased 19.9%.
Business and administration increased 26.7%.
Operations and maintenance increased 2.2%.

Average teacher salary lost 17.3% of its purchasing power.

Now, does that tell us why?

No.

And that is precisely the point.

I have been told the numbers need context.

So let's go find the context.

Not by replacing the numbers with explanations.

By adding more receipts.

Enrollment and staffing. Teachers and administrators. Personnel costs. Facilities. Fund balance. Federal money. Debt. Board-approved spending. Audits.

One layer at a time.

Maybe additional context explains what we see here.

Maybe it raises more questions.

Lady Budgetdown doesn't know yet.

Because this isn't a conclusion.

It's the first page of a deeper ledger.

A reader asked me to dig deeper.

Administrators and board members have asked for more context.

So Lady Budgetdown is going to try giving everyone both.

The receipts first.

Then more receipts.

And wherever they lead, they lead.

With receipts and respect,

Lady Budgetdown

#LadyBudgetdown #WithReceiptsAndRespect #FollowTheMoney #FiscalTransparency #SchoolFinance #SaginawTownship #MichiganSchools #PublicEducation #PublicMoney #TheLedger

Sources:
Michigan Department of Education — Bulletin 1014: Michigan Public Schools Ranked by Select Financial Information, annual reports and data files, 2014-15 through 2024-25.
Michigan Department of Education — Office of Financial Management, State Aid & School Finance.