Chartwell Report Shows That Schools Can Save Millions

Originally Published:
July 30, 2007

Source:
The Oakland Press

The numbers are stark and, at times, shocking. Figures in the Chartwell Education Group report on the Pontiac School District state that the district, if it implements the group's recommendations, could save about $5 million to $8 million in just the first year and another $5.6 million over the following two to three years.

And this would be without making major cuts to school programs.

Some of the recommendations include overhauling the legal services policy and saving $1.5 million over five years.

Chartwell says if the district renegotiates its facilities services management contract, it could save $1 million.

A teacher buyout retirement incentive package could ultimately, according to the report, save $3 million over two years.

Also, centralized purchasing of school supplies and materials could save the district $400,000. Currently, each school and department makes purchases for their respective buildings or area.

And implementing zero-based budgeting could save $3 million to $6 million.

This financial-management approach essentially means that, starting from scratch, board members and administrators evaluate and prioritize every proposed expenditure in terms of its ultimate impact on the quality of educational programs.

One of the most disturbing figures released by Chartwell was that only 56 percent of the current budget actually goes to instruction. That's sad. A school system's primary responsibility is to educate youngsters, yet in Pontiac, 44 percent of its budget goes for noninstructional expenses.

Chartwell says that a least 2 to 4 percent of the budget ($3 million to $6 million) should be redirected toward instructional use.

The report highlights an obviously inefficient - if not down right inept - operation of the school district by past administrations and Boards of education.

Current trustees have a chance to turn the floundering school system around, to revitalize it and improve the quality of education for its students.

But it will take courage and leadership - traits that have been sorely lacking among district representatives.

Instituting the recommendations will be difficult. Maybe some can't be used at all. But certainly all of the suggestions, particularly the financially related ones, need to be studied and implemented if at all possible.

The district paid the Chartwell group several hundred thousand dollars for its advice, but if the recommendations are instituted and do save the district millions, then obviously the project was worthwhile.

However, if trustees don't have the fortitude to inaugurate the needed changes, then the money spent will just be added to the millions of dollars the district has already wasted over the years.

Turning around the district will take time; it didn't get in its current situation overnight. But some changes need to be instituted immediately so the revitalizing process can at least begin.

Officials are holding seminars and appear to be trying to utilize the report and its recommendations.

Let's hope the momentum keeps going and the report doesn't, a year or so from now, end up on some storage shelf gathering dust.

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