Before the latest annual budget crisis fully matures in a week or so, let’s clear the air of some mistaken notions about the County’s funding of the public school system and the pay level of its teachers.One popular misconception is that the Board of Education receives an increasingly larger portion of the County’s budget and more than half of the revenue from property and other taxes and fees. In fact, it’s just the opposite – as the accompanying chart shows in the past 10 years the percentage of Wicomico County’s appropriations for education has decreased from nearly 50% in the late 1990’s to about 38% in the past several years. Thus, as the data shows, the portion of the budget appropriated for things other than education has increased at a much greater rate than the education portion. During that period the non-education portion has increased from about 53-54% to more than 60% of the budget.
Another classical myth is that the salary level of teachers in Wicomico County’s school system is excessive. Again, the actual data show just the opposite – the "Teacher Salary Comparisons" table (prepared by the Cecil County school system) states the amounts paid by the various Maryland counties and their ranking at various points in the career path and also the maximum level possible. Although Wicomico County ranks in the top half (barely) in starting salary, as a teacher’s tenure accrues over the years the pay level ranking, compared to the other counties, decreases significantly to the lower third, well below that in Worcester.
The school system – teachers’ salary in particular – is the target of choice for those who want lower taxes and complain about "out of control" spending to support their position Critics of the school budget in Wicomico County – especially those who claim that teachers are overpaid – should clean up their act.
The data make clear that the Salary level for teachers in Wicomico County is on a par with or lower than what their peers receive elsewhere, and significantly less than Worcester County pays teachers with greater experience and training. And if the critics of County spending want to focus on the main area of growth in the County budget, it’s in areas other than the school system.
28 comments:
So what's wrong here? The only thing it prooves to me is that percentages are used again where they shouldn't be. Some say that numbers don't lie, but I think we all know that anyone can skew them to look a different way. At first glance these are interesting, but to somebody keen in statistics and display logics they can see right through them. What do they say about statistics? 63% of all statistics are made up on the spot 52% of the time! This is just a bogus way of making somebody look bad by saying that they aren't funding education well-looks to me like the education budget has increased every year.
So Wicomico County is 16th in the State despite the 15 Counties above them having a higher cost of living? Try living on $46,000 in Montgomery County-it's not going to work well for you! $42,000 starting salary is very respectable-I know because that is what I started at in a non-education field and all my bills got paid on time. And lets not forget about the extra money teachers can make during their SUMMERS OFF! Maybe if we quit comparing ourselves to other Counties and individualize our education system then we might get somewhere.
Now I see why so many teachers go east (to Worcester County) or elsewhere after teaching here for a few years. It sure looks like the rest of the County's budget has grown much more than the part for the schools -- almost each year that part is a smaller percentage of the total appropriations.
Yikes!
Even Talbot County pays its teachers more than here.
If you don't like the pay, move on. No one is making you say here.
These data indicate that the non-education part of the County budget has grown at twice the rate of increase as the education part. That's why the share going to the schools has declined from about 50 percent ten years ago to less than 40 percent this year, while the non-education part has gone to more than 60% of the budget.
10:28-
Brilliant!
Constant turnover of personnel makes for an efficient and effective organization.
If Wic. Co. fails to provide the "maintenance of effort" funding (and loses the state funding as a result) there will be chaos in the schools and much greater attrition among the teachers.
But, you probably think that's good, too.
Yes, but the BOE budget has increased something like $ 50 million in the last 7 years since Thornton money has brought in big bucks from the State.
Yeah "Talbot pays their teachers more" by $260/year! There isn't a big difference amongst the counties. Where do you think you would be better off financially, making $43452 in Anne Arundel or making $42140 in Wicomico?
Don't be misled by the statistics being touted by the BOE.
You see our County's Prekindergarden - Grade 12 student population reached its peak . . .guess when . . . . in 1968. . . at 14,658 students. We actually experienced a decline in enrollment mainly because of the birth control pill.
So please don't let the BOE mislead you folks into propagating into a failed institution. Back in those days they even provided Drivers Education for the students.
So, Joe, what's the point of this? Do teachers expect their salaries and benefits to be increased even more in this economy after they just got their retiree benefits upped to 70%? Enlighten us as to their expectations.
Do they feel exempted from a troubled economy and that they are the only important ones who should constantly be paid more at taxpayer expense? Do teachers or the BOE feel they are more important than EMTS, fire and police?
The true number they should be comparing is the cost per student. The fact that some children are given diplomas and can not even perform rudimentary academic skills does not speak well of the performance of the teachers. As the president of Xerox said some years ago - "If we put out the quality our educational system is putting out, we would be out of business in six months."
Folks, the 'The Opera Ain't Over Til The Fat Lady Sings'
There are more stats coming folks to refute the percentage of budget increases.
11:44 -
How about making thousands more in Worcester County?
1:41 Make sure if you look at the county education budget as a category that you separate out Wor Wic & the County Library from BOE funds. Under many county presentations, the three budgets are lumped together as "Education." Don't want the fat lady to be off tune at the opera.
The cost of living in some of these counties are much higher than it is here in Wicomico. Lets use Frederick county wages for example how can you expect to buy a house in that area making a starting wage of 40k? We went to my nephews graduation back in 2004 he graduated from a school in Howard county. They said that about 95% of the students were going to college after graduation. What are they doing different there that 95% of their students are going to college? You look at just about any profession and they make more across the bridge than they do here because the cost of living is MUCH higher there.
Here's the only statistic you need to know-
WE SPEND $14,000+ PER STUDENT PER YEAR...bottom line, when do taxpayers say enough is enough? That day is upon us.
2:11-
Data released by the State for FY 2009 shows the total per student as follows:
15,922 - Worcester
14,010 - Somerset
13,785 - Statewide Average
12,627 - Dorchester
12,394 - Wicomico
And in terms of the portion provided by local funding (County budget) rather than from State or Federal funding:
11,475 - Worcester (72%)
6,597 - Statewide Average (48%)
4,034 - Dorchester (33%)
3,337 - Wicomico (29%)
3,447 - Somerset (24%)
Looks like we have a very efficient system here in Wicomico, but much greater reliance on state and federal funds than most places -- two-thirds of the funds for Wicomico's schools come from State or Federal sources, compared to the statewide average of 47%.
Go ahead and keep on whining because the data shows you're flat wrong.
The 4:09 comment show why there will be a real problem if the County can't get the state funding that it will forfeit if it does not provide the "maintenance of effort" amount in the budget.
4:09pm I pay state, county and federal taxes and it's more like $15731.00 per student in Wicomico County, If you recall I said over $14k per student...As a taxpayer, I can whine alot.
4:35-
The total of $12,394/student includes funds from all the sources. Wicomico spends somewhat less than the statewide average and much less than Worcester County per student.
In other words, you are blowing smoke!
Wow people. For those of you who want to complain about how much teacher make, there are some things that you need to do first. You need to teach for a while. You need to spend extra time planning your days lessons. This time is expected, yet we don't get paid overtime. Then you need to handle a class of around 20 students. Five of these students most likely will have an individuel eduction plan of some sort. Please do not expect each of these five students to have their own aid even though two of them should have their own aid. Some of your students might not be able to afford paper, pencil, crayons, folders, notebooks, etc. Please be prepared to spend your own money to provide these things. When discipling a child, be prepared to deal with parents who believe that thier child is a perfect little "angel" and could do no wrong. You are guarented to have atleast one of those. Their child is usually the worst behaved and prevents instruction from taking place. Sometimes being a teacher can be very frustraiting, but at the same time I still love it and don't want to quit (I am coming to the end of my first official year). I enjoy providing a fun and nurturing enviroment for my 310 students (music teacher). I enjoy the look on their faces when they finally grasp a hard conept. I enjoy sharing moments with them and comforting them when they need it. I challenge those of you who want to complain about how much the board of ed receive for education and how much teachers make to spend at least a week in the classroom as the teacher. Then you can have a "slight" say in how much we get paid.
I will teach 7 months a year to make 42000.00 ....6:49 with all due respect you get plenty of time off.
I also think the BOE is adequately funded since there has been a significant increase in the county funding over the past ten years. I find that to be 41.72%, which is far more than a lot of other departments in the county has received (the library as example). I get very tired of hearing the teachers say they are underfunded. You work only 9 months a year and your salary of whatever it is, must be extrapolated into a fulltime work year. So, if your being paid $50,000 a year to teach, it is actually the equivelent of a salary of $62,500 per year, which is not bad at all. How many of you out there are making that much in your county salary? Sorry Joe, but I believe your analysis is somewhat faulted. Also, we all need to rem,ember that we are in a real financial slowdown, if not a depression.
I don't feel bad for teachers looking at their salaries. Most people would like to make those wages for working 12 MONTHS a year! Let along to never work summers, weekends, holidays!! The BOE also gets funding from the $5000+ impact fee charged to all new residences built in the county.
7:57
You won't teach because you don't have the education. All the complainers who think teachers have it made, get your degree and come teach. Don't complain and moan because you job sucks, or your out of work, come join us and enjoy the good life. Most teachers hold advanced degrees and should be compensated as a result. Yes, they raised teachers beginning salaries in order to attract teachers, now they need to make sure they keep the quality teachers in the ranks who are highly trained.
In addition, in Worcester County you hit the top of the pay scale of 81,000 after 16 years. In Wicomico County, you don't hit the top of the pay scale of 76,000 until after 28 years of teaching. So, in Worcester you have many more years of earning the top salary than you do in Wicomico. Worcester has always paid more towards their retiree benefits as well. Trust me people have been leaving for other areas for awhile now.
2:04
I'll tell you why Howard County has more success. It is because those students come from affluent homes, as Howard County doesn't have many poor folks. I'll bet almost all of those students come from homes with parents who have college degrees and are very interested in their children's education. They come to school prepared to learn and realize that an education leads to a good life. Here in Wicomico County many students come from poor families with little education. Some schools have close to 90% of the students receiving Free and Reduced Meals, which indicates poverty or low income. Wicomico leads the state of Maryland in the number of homeless students. There is also a high mobility rate, where students are constantly moving from one school to another. Students who have supportive parents are successful and usually go on to college. Students from homes where education holds no value, are not usually successful.
6:49... if it's so miserable being a teacher, then quit! Everyone's job has negative aspects, not just yours. The point is, you get paid well and have more time off than the average working person... most of us also have to take work home and don't get paid overtime. So, stop martyring teachers.
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