This article has information on Lehigh County Pennsylvania. Local political leaders may be interested in ideas from Lean and Six Sigma that could help them reduce costs and make their processes more effective.

We need to be able to assist our schools to be both efficient and effective and produce students who are both excellent academically, but ethical as well. This does not have to be a Democratic or Republican issue.

Public schools are under stress to reduce costs while imporving performance at the same time. I will keep you posted on developments of this project.

Application of Lean and Six Sigma principles and tools can help make our educational institutions more effecient and use of Character Education can help our students become ethical citizens.

Continuous Improvement can help our instututions become more effective and and our students academically excellent.

Pennsylvania School District Data: Will School Consolidation Save Money?

Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed consolidating 400 of the state’s 500 active school districts to cut costs. See how your district’s finances compare to districts around the state. Are smaller districts really less efficient? Delve into the data by entering your home county via the link to the right:

Allentown School District
In 2007-08, there were 17,892 students enrolled, making this the 4th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $534.24, making this district’s administrative overhead the 13th most efficient statewide.

This information as well as test scores for each district are availalbe via the link to the right.

SPENDING SUMMARY

Instruction $122,029,503.90
Support Services $56,320,976.56
Non-Instructional $2,558,613.11
Current Expenditures $180,909,093.60
Facilities Acquisition & Construction $2,082,043.31
Other Financing Uses $6,094,444.89
Total Expenditures $189,085,581.80

INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING SUMMARY

Regular Education $78,896,290.90
Special Education $26,826,120.01
Vocational Education $8,141,617.10
Other Instructional Programs $6,918,408.60
Adult Education $0
Higher Education $1,247,067.29
Pre-Kindergarten $0
Total Instructional Spending $122,029,503.90

SUPPORT SERVICES SUMMARY

Pupil Personnel $6,204,431.74
Instructional Staff $10,715,472.47
Administration $9,558,670.62
Pupil Health $2,462,672.75
Business $1,770,194.79
Operation and Maintenance of Plant $14,682,711.93
Student Transportation $6,765,429.86
Support Central $4,049,336.65
Other Support $112,055.75
Total Support Services Spending $56,320,976.56

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING SUMMARY

Food Services $0
Student Activities $1,428,338.33
Community Services $1,130,274.78
Total Non-Instructional Spending $2,558,613.11

Summaries of the other districts in Lehigh County are shown below.

Catasaqua School District
In 2007-08, there were 1,664 students enrolled, making this the 331st largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $804.90, making this district’s administrative overhead the 309th most efficient statewide.

East Penn School District
2007-08, there were 8,069 students enrolled, making this the 27th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $600.44, making this district’s administrative overhead the 62nd most efficient statewide.

Northern Lehigh School District
In 2007-08, there were 2,059 students enrolled, making this the 276th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $800.65, making this district’s administrative overhead the 301st most efficient statewide.

Northwestern Lehigh School District
In 2007-08, there were 2,378 students enrolled, making this the 238th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $724.56, making this district’s administrative overhead the 220th most efficient statewide.

Parkland School District
In 2007-08, there were 9,186 students enrolled, making this the 20th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $563.07, making this district’s administrative overhead the 28th most efficient statewide.

Salisbury School District
In 2007-08, there were 1,795 students enrolled, making this the 307th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $887.79, making this district’s administrative overhead the 390th most efficient statewide.

Southern Lehigh School District
In 2007-08, there were 3,101 students enrolled, making this the 178th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $719.73, making this district’s administrative overhead the 209th most efficient statewide.

Whitehall-Copley School District
In 2007-08, there were 4,352 students enrolled, making this the 99th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $581.77, making this district’s administrative overhead the 42nd most efficient statewide.

Pennsylvania School District Data: Will School Consolidation Save Money?

Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed consolidating 400 of the state’s 500 active school districts to cut costs. See how your district’s finances compare to districts around the state. Are smaller districts really less efficient? Delve into the data by entering your home county via the link to the right:

This article has information on Northampton County Pennsylvania. The local political leaders should be interested in ideas from Lean and Six Sigma that could help them reduce costs and make their processes more effective.

Public schools are under stress to reduce costs while imporving performance at the same time. I will keep you posted on developments of this project.

Support Services Summary

Bangor Area $ 2.6 Million
Bethlehem Area $10.1 Million
Easton Area $ 6.5 Million
Nazareth Area $ 2.9 Million
Northampton Area $ 3.9 Million
Pen Argyl $ 1.7 Million
Saucon Valley $ 2.1 Million
Wilson Area $ 1.7 Million

Toal $31.5 Million

For every 1% of Support Services that could be saved, through Consolidation or even just shared services, the tax payers could save $315,000, without cutting any teachers or their salaries.

Bethlehem Area School District

In 2007-08, there were 15,306 students enrolled, making this the 6th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $659.26, making this district’s administrative overhead the 130th most efficient statewide.

SPENDING SUMMARY

Instruction $112,870,796.10
Support Services $52,480,557.71
Non-Instructional $669,912.95
Current Expenditures $166,021,266.80
Facilities Acquisition & Construction $887.00
Other Financing Uses $18,597,245.55
Total Expenditures $184,619,399.30

INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING SUMMARY

Regular Education $78,604,225.08
Special Education $20,126,655.17
Vocational Education $7,703,642.93
Other Instructional Programs $2,937,125.03
Adult Education $43,074.07
Higher Education $1,972,584.52
Pre-Kindergarten $1,483,489.31
Total Instructional Spending $112,870,796.10

SUPPORT SERVICES SUMMARY

Pupil Personnel $7,829,196.53
Instructional Staff $6,264,409.85
Administration $10,090,640.33
Pupil Health $3,366,640.47
Business $2,606,511.68
Operation and Maintenance of Plant $14,984,110.11
Student Transportation $5,230,141.76
Support Central $2,010,983.26
Other Support $97,923.72
Total Support Services Spending $52,480,557.71

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING SUMMARY

Food Services $0
Student Activities $469,285.50
Community Services $200,627.45
Total Non-Instructional Spending $669,912.95

In 2007-08, there were 3,593 students enrolled, making this the 138th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $727.52, making this district’s administrative overhead the 223rd most efficient statewide.

Related links: Average teacher salaries in Northampton County; district test scores

SPENDING SUMMARY

Instruction $23,568,199.97
Support Services $13,909,030.98
Non-Instructional $731,432.25
Current Expenditures $38,208,663.20
Facilities Acquisition & Construction $33,651.40
Other Financing Uses $4,827,616.93
Total Expenditures $43,069,931.53

INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING SUMMARY

Regular Education $15,532,031.76
Special Education $5,660,693.67
Vocational Education $1,451,770.08
Other Instructional Programs $432,470.40
Adult Education $4,075.00
Higher Education $367,428.92
Pre-Kindergarten $119,730.14
Total Instructional Spending $23,568,199.97

SUPPORT SERVICES SUMMARY

Pupil Personnel $1,251,617.02
Instructional Staff $1,324,103.32
Administration $2,613,990.40
Pupil Health $355,089.50
Business $483,534.16
Operation and Maintenance of Plant $4,077,194.82
Student Transportation $2,848,920.51
Support Central $936,847.00
Other Support $17,734.25
Total Support Services Spending $13,909,030.98

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SPENDING SUMMARY

Food Services $0
Student Activities $634,677.79
Community Services $96,754.46
Total Non-Instructional Spending $731,432.25

Bangor Area School District
In 2007-08, there were 3,593 students enrolled, making this the 138th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $727.52, making this district’s administrative overhead the 223rd most efficient statewide.

Easton Area School District

In 2007-08, there were 8,940 students enrolled, making this the 21st largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $727.68, making this district’s administrative overhead the 224th most efficient statewide.

Nazareth Area School District

In 2007-08, there were 4,732 students enrolled, making this the 82nd largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $621.09, making this district’s administrative overhead the 84th most efficient statewide.

Northampton Area School District

In 2007-08, there were 5,741 students enrolled, making this the 57th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $685.14, making this district’s administrative overhead the 165th most efficient statewide.

Pen Argyl School Disrtict

In 2007-08, there were 1,924 students enrolled, making this the 292nd largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $859.46, making this district’s administrative overhead the 367th most efficient statewide.

Saucon Valley School District

In 2007-08, there were 2,444 students enrolled, making this the 230th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $862.45, making this district’s administrative overhead the 369th most efficient statewide.

Wilson Area School District

In 2007-08, there were 2,285 students enrolled, making this the 244th largest district of 500 statewide. The per-student administrative cost was $749.83, making this district’s administrative overhead the 244th most efficient statewide.