A closer look at non-instructional expenditures in suburban school districts

The Public Policy Forum:

The Forum released a new report this morning that examines out-of-classroom expenditures in Milwaukee County’s suburban school districts. The examination was prompted by the increased pressure faced by most districts to identify operational cost savings while also maintaining or enhancing academic performance. Given the apparent conflict between the two imperatives, non-instructional areas of spending are likely to receive increased focus for possible cost-saving opportunities, including possible service sharing with other districts or local governments.
The report focuses on the dollars spent on non-instructional support services, including administrative, “back office” functions (e.g. payroll, accounting, information technology); administration of ongoing operations and school buildings; non-instructional pupil services, such as social work and guidance; and instructional staff services, such as curriculum development and staff training.