Various special interest groups throughout Colorado are preparing for battle on a huge income tax increase for Coloradans, but studies show that the administrative bloat in Colorado education has exploded over the past few years.  Perhaps Colorado’s education community should take a page from Colorado’s families and tighten their belts during lean times and prioritize education, not administration.

A study published on February 28, 2013 by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice broke down Colorado’s administrative bloat, and it ain’t pretty:

• Change in the Number of Students and Administrators and Other Non-Teaching Staff, FY 1992 to FY 2009:
  • Students – 38% increase
  • Administrators – 83% increase

• Annual Cost Savings if Administrators and Other Non-Teaching Staff Had Increased/Decreased at the Same Rate as Students from FY 1992 to FY 2009: $526,492,634.00

• Annual Salary Increases per Teacher if Non-Teaching Staff Had Increased/Decreased at the Same Rate as Students from FY 1992 to FY 2009: $10,813.00

• Ratio of Students to Non-Teaching Staff as Compared to Ratio of Students to Teachers, FY 2009:
  • Ratio of Students to Non-Teaching Staff – 15.20
  • Ratio of Students to Teachers – 16.80

• Number of Non-Teaching Staff in Excess of the Number of Teachers: 5,182

• Ratio of Students to Total Public School Staff, FY 2009: 8.00

In case, PeakNation™, the Friedman Foundation sounded a little conservative for your liking, know that these statistics were backed up by the National Center for Education Statistics.  In 2010 (the most recent data available), Colorado was the 15th “top-heaviest” state in the country with just 47.9% of staff as teachers.  For comparison, in 1990, we were the 21st most top-heavy state with 52.6% of staff that were teachers.

It’s worth noting that during this time period, computers were introduced as a way to improve efficiency in organizations.  Well, organizations except for Colorado’s education system, apparently.

At a time when families are struggling and companies throughout Colorado are forced to operate leaner, why is Colorado’s education administration ballooning?  And, why should hardworking families pay more out of their paychecks to support it?