Today the Trib reports the startling news that contrary to our school board’s cries of impoverishment it appears we have more money per student than any other school district in Minnesota.
The Duluth school district revealed sobering news this week about the state of its 2011-12 budget, with more than $7.3 million to cut from expenses.
As part of their discussion about where to cut, School Board members and administrators will refer to a 2008-09 spending comparison that also was presented this week. It shows how Duluth stacks up against nine Minnesota districts of similar size in nearly 20 spending areas.
The data, from the Minnesota Department of Education, shows that Duluth is a top spender in several categories.
Up until now the Trib’s editorial board has sniffed that comparisons we critics have made with other school districts didn’t count because they didn’t measure up because these other Districts were smaller. That’s not true here.
Sadly the information came from the District itself and was handed over to the Trib on a silver plate. Evidently after four years of well compensated, blissful ignorance even Dr. Dixon’s fawning supporters on the Board have begun to wonder why the District is going to hell in a hand basket. The Superintendent had little choice but to show them the bigger picture to justify additional cuts. I wonder if they are as astounded as I am that Duluth outspends almost every other Minnesota School District in every category. Zounds!
The DNT seems astonished to. It will be interesting to see if they follow up today’s story tomorrow with an editorial.
And how will our new Republican legislature react to Duluth’s cries of poverty? I’d guess our cry of anguish will be greeted with the same sort of disdain that this Op Ed writer heaps on the Minneapolis Schools.
