Why do we have so many people in administration? Can't we make do with fewer? There's got to be about a million dollars in salary we could save there?
Administration costs are always a handy target for those unacquainted with school business. Since "Administration" is not in the classroom, those employees are often seen as superfluous. The Texas Education Agency likes for school districts in the state to not spend more than 11 percent of all expenditures on administration -- also known as "Function 41" in our district financial statements. During the just concluded school year (2009-10), Keller ISD spent just 2.83 percent of our annual expenditures on administration.
In a comparison with 33 other districts in the state our size, Keller ISD came in 29th in spending on Administration. KISD spent $170.52 per students, with the range being from $284 to $124 per student among the other 33 districts. In that same analysis, it is noted that Keller ISD spent 15 percent lower than the average of all 33 districts.
It is this low spending in Administration that helps to make Keller ISD one of the most efficient school districts in Texas.