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Treasurer: Boardman’s per-pupil spending includes a lot
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
BOARDMAN
The Boardman School District spent $8,660.90 per pupil in fiscal year 2011, Treasurer Richard Santilli told board members.
That figure includes administrative, building operations, instruction, pupil support and staff expenses, he said at the board’s meeting Monday.
It is the fourth-lowest expenditure per pupil in Mahoning County.
Austintown, Lowellville and West Branch each spent less.
Boardman, Lowellville and West Branch are all rated excellent on the state’s academic report card; Austintown is rated effective.
“The state average [expense per pupil] for fiscal year 2011 was $10,697,” Santilli said.
“Our revenue per pupil is $8,985; the state average is $10,614,” he added.
Some children who live in Boardman choose to attend one of the roughly 18 community schools in the county rather than Boardman schools.
Several of those schools spent less than Boardman and are rated continuous improvement or academic watch.
Others that spent more are rated continuous improvement, academic watch or academic emergency.
Two community schools — Ohio Connections Academy and Ohio Virtual Academy — spent less than Boardman per pupil and are rated effective.
Ohio Connections spent $6,595 per pupil; Ohio Virtual spent $6,921.
“They’re spending $6,000 and $7,000, and we’re spending $8,600, and we have buildings to maintain, we’ve got academic programs, we’ve got bands and orchestras and so forth,” said Frank Lazzeri, superintendent.
“We offer a whole lot more for not that much more money and an excellent rating,” he said.
An open forum about public-school funding will be at 6 p.m. May 7 in the Boardman High School auditorium.
Presenters at the forum will include former Gov. Ted Strickland; Steve Dyer, a former Ohio state representative; and Deborah Cain, state board of education member.