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School system statistics Recent issues of the Alabama School Journal, the publication of the Alabama Education Association, share some interesting figures on state school systems. Monthly reserves The Feb. 11 issue looked at financial reserves of systems around the state. Alabama law requires that every school system maintain a reserve equal to at least one month's operating expense. Thirty systems were found to be short of that requirement. Clarke County barely meets the requirement with 1.2 months of reserved funds. The county system had a beginning balance of $2,276,301 and revenues of $23,120,291 for the period checked. Expenditures were $23,160,593 for an ending balance of $2,235,999. Monthly operating expenses were $1,930,049. The Thomasville city system maintained a 0.8 monthly reserve, slightly less that the requirement. The system posted a beginning balance of $933,037. Revenues were $10,455,153 and expenses were $10,640,137 for an ending balance of $748,053. Monthly expenses ran $886,678. The Washington County system showed a beginning balance of $1,652,203. Revenues totaled $23,415,491 and expenses were $23,197,173 for an ending balance of $1,870,521. Monthly expenses were $1,933,098 and that was deemed close enough to the balance to meet the one-month requirement. The Choctaw County school system had the worst record of the 121 county and city systems in the state, showing a balance of only $55,638, far less than the $1,153,753 needed for a month's operations. Other neighboring systems failing to meet the requirement includes Monroe County, 0.9; Wilcox County, 0.8; Linden City, 0.4; and even Mobile, the largest system pupil-wise in the state, 0.7. The Demopolis city system maintained 2.5 months of reserves. The Troy city system had the best record of all the systems, maintaining 7.8 months of reserves. Superintendents' salaries Another interesting listing in the Feb. 11 issue detailed superintendents' salaries across the state. The system's student enrollment is based on the first 20 school days after Labor Day. The Clarke County superintendent of education makes $89,991 with a $3,000 travel expense. Average enrollment for the system is 3,337. Interestingly, Clarke County's superintendent is one of the lowest paid in the state, especially given the number of students enrolled. The Barbour County superintendent may be the least paid in the state at $82,960 with a $1,000 expense allowance. There are 1,120 students in the system. Mobile County's superintendent is by far the highest paid at $210,000 and a $1,000 expense allowance. The new superintendent, Roy Nichols, received a considerable raise over his predecessor. The Mobile system is the largest in the state with 64,340 students. The Choctaw County superintendent makes $74,295 with a $3,700 expense allowance. Enrollment in the system is 1,982. Washington County's superintendent makes $90,000 with a $7,500 expense allowance. Average enrollment is 3,582. Wilcox County's superintendent is paid $107,000 and $5,500 for expenses. Average enrollment is 2,166. Marengo County's superintendent makes $94,000 and a $8,500 travel expense allowance. There are 1,534 students. Monroe County pays its superintendent $103,529 with a $2,300 expense allowance. Average enrollment is 4,306. Ironically, city systems in the area pay their superintendents more but enrollment is often less. The superintendent of the Thomasville system makes $116,865 and a $5,000 expense allowance. Enrollment averages 1,575. In Demopolis, the superintendent makes $117,000 and has a $10,000 travel expense allowance. The system rivals some county systems with an average enrollment of 2,453. In the Linden city system, the superintendent makes $98,120 with an expense allowance of $4,446. There are only 489 students in the Linden system. Interestingly, the three superintendents in Marengo County make $332,066 in combined salaries and expense allowances. Legal fees The Feb. 25 issue of the Alabama School Journal listed legal fees for systems in the state. The Birmingham city system outdistanced all others with over $3.2 million in legal expenses, or $107.80 per pupil. The Journal's commentary said the Birmingham system's legal expenses could have paid for 20 classroom teachers. Choctaw County ranked third in per pupil legal costs at $99,001.97, or $48.84 per student. Washington County had $47,612.47 in legal fees or $13.25 per pupil, a 43rd place ranking. The Marengo County system ranking was 74, spending $9,327 or $6.15 per pupil. The Demopolis city system spent $14,606.87 or $5.94 per pupil, placing 78th statewide. Clarke County ranked 97th out of 121 systems, spending $2.83 per pupil or $9,653.38 total. Monroe County spent $9,442.95, or $2.20 per pupil, for a ranking of 107. The Thomasville city system had one of the lowest rankings in the state, spending just 97 cents per student, or $1,544.80 for a ranking of 115.
About a dozen systems showed no legal expenses at all and tied for the 121st place.
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