Growth in N.C. School Staff Outpaces Student Population Growth

JLF analyst dissects numbers in public schools since 2000

RALEIGH (Carolina Journal Online) — North Carolina's public schools have added administrators, consultants, and other nonclassroom staffers faster than they've added students this decade. That's a key finding in a new John Locke Foundation Spotlight report.

"It's important to keep this rapid growth of nonclassroom jobs in mind as N.C. House budget writers recommend cutting positions to help fill the state government's budget hole," said report author Terry Stoops, John Locke Foundation Education Policy Analyst. "While North Carolina's public school enrollment has grown about 13 percent since 2000, the number of school personnel has grown by nearly 18 percent. Much of that growth has been outside the classroom."

In 2003, North Carolina public schools had eight students for every staff member, Stoops said. "By 2006, that number had dipped to seven students per staffer," he said. "There's one teacher for every 14 students, one teacher assistant for every 45 students, and one administrative position for every 167 students."