Column: Taxpayers league of minnesota
June 22, 2010 at 5:00 pm in Worthington Daily Globe
ST. PAUL In the 1996 movie “Jerry Maguire,” Oscar-nominated actor Tom Cruise played the part of Jerry Maguire, a highly successful agent for professional athletes. At the outset of the film Maguire has a revelation that what his firm should do is represent fewer clients with larger contracts. Continue Reading
“This represents a 2 percent decline in enrollment and a 36 percent increase in cost”
I would have to say 2% change is stable. Now that being compared to 2001 (as this author does), alot of things have changed in ~10 years. If one were to compare gas prices we would see the same. 2001 average price for a gallon, $1.43. 2010 average gallon $2.76. Thats a 93% increase! With a rise in costs and living adjustments its not shocking that a 36% cost increase occurs in 10 years.
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Gas pricing was somewhat of a poor example. It dramaticly fluctuates. However, 2001 average Minn teachers salary was 49101. 2010 average Minn teachers salary was 51938. Thats an increase of 2837 or roughly 5.7% over 10 years….or ~.6% a year (~$294 per year). I don’t see wages as the primary cost increase that the author has given, but it may be with the increase in the number of teachers. For years, parents AND legislators have asked for smaller class sizes. Well to do that, you must hire MORE teachers!! The decision that should be looked at is “Do you want larger class sizes or lower costs?” To simply blame the union (with the authors poor evidential support) is unfair.
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I agree that blindly blaming the union for cost increases is unjustified. One needs a complete breakdown is operating costs to accurately identify what is causing the increased costs (which you’ve pointed out aren’t entirely out of line). How much did No Child Left Behind add to education spending? How many new schools were built because citizens decided it was unacceptable to send their kids to school operating in a building built in the 30′s or because of school district consolidations? There are numerous other factors to consider other than teacher salary, like utility costs.
The author is trying to push for alternative teacher licensing, and in particular, Teach for America. I personally want the people who are educating our future to have a background in education. Teachers have invested their own time and money to acquire the skills and education necessary to qualify for their license to teach. A lot of people can change an outlet, but that doesn’t make them an electrician or mean they could do as good of a job as someone trained to be an electrician. I think the same rule should be applied to the people teaching our youth.
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