For 2018-2019, Rutherford County educated almost the same number of public school students we did with a budget within 1% of ours. That’s where similarities end.
We operate 79 schools; Rutherford operates 47. Based on the relative performance of students, there’s not a positive correlation between academic performance and number of buildings in a system. In addition, Rutherford’s system has approximately 650 fewer employees than Hamilton County’s.
Before we agree to a large tax increase for schools, we need to address why we operate 32 more schools educating approximately the same number of students and requiring 650 more employees.
How much of our budget is used to replace roofs, HVAC systems and maintain schools that should have been replaced decades ago with more efficient ones? Instead of paying janitors and maintenance employees, shouldn’t we be paying teachers more? If the most important member of the education team is the school’s principal, wouldn’t it be better to hire fewer but more talented principals?
For decades, the county commission and school board have not had the political will to rationalize our system. Instead of spending for academic excellence, we maintain inefficient buildings.