We start with the graph from our last post. 
Most would agree that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed. Some might suggest I’m dumber than the shed. From the moment I looked at this graph, I knew something was wrong so I double checked the data. Something very significant occurred with the school year ending 2009, but did it happen naturally or was it man-made? How could the Kansas Department of EDUCATION be so wrong with NUMBERS?
We had already noted that different Kansas Department of Education documents reported different numbers while measuring the same item, we needed to check that out. And although unreliable, we needed to take another look at the Census Bureau stats.
We found that the numbers reported to the public are significantly different than the numbers used internally, within the department. We actually found three sets of numbers. The one made public as K-12, a Total Head Count and a Full Time Equivelant (example- 2 students attending half time would equal one FTE). These three sets of data for the same time period from above:
The two sets of data used internally has restored some order in how to look at the student history over the time measured. The THC and FTE numbers are proportionately where they belong and are consistant to each other from year to year. This also clearly suggests that the K-12 number used publically for funding is a “chosen” number not a “mearsured” number.
That takes us to another look at the Census Bureau. From 2000 to 2009 (estimates) the total Kansas population grew from 2,688,418 to 2,777,835 or 3.3% (all ages). That is consistent with the internal (THC and FTE) numbers used above at 1.0% and .2% respectively. It is not consistent with the K-12 growth of 5.4% unless……………………..
The same Census Bureau data shows that “Foriegn Born” increased from 5.0% to 6.0% of the Kansas population. It also shows that “English Not Spoken at Home” increased from 8.7% to 9.9% of the Kansas population. As noted previously, Census data is only as reliable as the person responding and is historically under reported. KSDE records show that during this same time period $271,573,451 was spent on “Bilingual Education” http://nolathe.net/2010/12/23/how-to-spend-271573451-that-you-dont-have/ .
Now we take the THC and FTE data and graph it with the K-12 and Budget data measured as a percentage of change from the previous year we have this:
NOlathe concludes that educational funding is not about field trips, it has become a political battle field, ALPHA male egos and POWERFUL Unions. When used responsibly, numbers don’t lie. The results identified in the top graph, were not caused naturally, they were man made. Why would the Department of Education provide false and misleading data to the tax payers? Read this again: http://kansas.watchdog.org/6000/truth-emerging-on-unencumbered-k-12-education-funds/ The use of tax dollars should not be a school yard ‘tug of war’ so maybe the Department of Education needs some adults in the room.
Sources: http://cpfs.ksde.org/cpfs/custom_rpts.aspx http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
NOlathe Excel Worksheets KSDE By Year KSDE And Other Myths 1992..2009 education Each of these NOlathe Excel formatted files are 6 pages in length and were created by KSDE using the “Custom Report” tool: THC2001 THC2002 THC2003 THC2004 THC2005 THC2006 THC2007 THC2008 THC2009 FTE2001 FTE2002 FTE2003 FTE2004 FTE2005 FTE2006 FTE2007 FTE2008 FTE2009
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nolathe got it right!
what we have found out about education in kansas is that it is:
1.) not about the children.
2.) about union jobs.
3.) about political power.
4.) creating full time employee destinys.
if it were about the children, we would have many less administrators, and more teachers.
we would also quit talkng about “those poor teachers.” teachers actually work less than 9 months per year; approx. 200 days.
the average worker in kansas: 250 days / year.
let’s do some math:
250 days / year x 8 hours / day x $14.00 / hour = $28,000.00 / annual + benefits.
most teachers are in the salary range of $25,000.00 – $50,000.00 / year.
let’s pick the middle: $37,500.00 / year.
$37,500.00 divided by 1600 hours / year = $23.44 / hour + union benefits / k.p.e.r.s. / health care.
not to mention, my teacher friends all have some other income, like my friend who is painting houses for ka$h in the summer, picking up a mere $20,000.00 / summer that the irs is not aware of.
folks, it is just not nearly as bad as the k.a.s.b. / k.n.e.a. want us to think. ( oh, by the way, the k.n.e.a. union rep. in overland park has a salary / benefit package worth approx. $150,000.00 / year. )
01-01-2011 / michael t. egan.