I only ask because their glowing endorsement of Dr. Foster has some intriguing numbers, to wit:
Dr. Foster’s Illinois district had a reported 3,200 students and 415 staff.
The Duluth District has 9,000 students and 2,000 staff.
The math I have in mind is long division, something I had difficulty with in the fifth grade. Thank God for hand calculators.
In Illinois Dr. Foster had 3,200 students divided by 415 staff or 7.7 children per public employees.
In Duluth Dr. Foster has 9,000 students divided by 2,000 staff or 4.5 children per public employee.
There’s a bit of a discrepancy here. I wonder at the implications. Did the Trib editorial Board notice?
I think this discrepency takes on even more significance since Dr. Foster has previously expressed concern about Duluth’s very large class sizes.
“Foster said one concern he sees already is the high numbers of class sizes in the district and their effect on student’s learning.”
Considering we have a lot fewer children per staff member this must indeed be very puzzling to him. I’m puzzled by it too.
