School District's 'Comparatively Low' Administrative Costs Not Really That Low

Sharon Irvine, human resources director with Warren Consolidated Schools, testified in a legislative committee last week against Senate Bill 280. The bill would prohibit government and school employee union contracts from containing so-called “release time” provisions that pay some employees for time they spend on the job conducting union business.

“Warren Consolidated Schools enjoys comparatively low administrative costs,” Irvine said. “If it weren’t for leave time we’d have to take that money and spend it on hiring more staff, which would cost even more.”

ForTheRecord says: According to a regularly updated report published by the Michigan Department of Education, Warren Consolidated Schools spent an average of $1,200 per student on administrative costs. That puts it among the top half of the state's school districts in terms of per-pupil administrative costs. Only five of the 20 other school districts in Macomb County spent more per student on administration (Fitzgerald, Lake Shore, Roseville, Center Line, and Mount Clemens).

Editor's Note: This story has been updated.