How efficiently do Columbus-area school districts spend money? Latest state ratings explained
Columbus area school districts received mixed results from the latest state report that tries to measure the link between spending and performance.
In the 2019 Financial Efficiency Star Ratings from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, Muscogee County’s rating decreased, Harris County’s remained the same, and Chattahoochee County’s increased.
On the 5-star scale, MCSD’s rating decreased during the past year from 3.5 in 2018 to 3 in 2019.
That decrease comes after two straight years of increases: In 2015, the first year of the ratings in Georgia, MCSD was at 2, then 2.5 in 2016 and 3.5 in 2017.
Harris County remained at 3.5. It was at 3.5 in 2015, 4 in 2016 and 4 in 2017.
Chattahoochee County increased from 2 to 2.5. It was at 1.5 in 2015, 1.5 in 2016 and 2 in 2017.
Why and how calculated
State law requires the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education, to measure the financial efficiency of the state’s public schools and districts based on a 5-star rating system.
A three-year average of per-pupil spending is correlated with academic achievement, as expressed by the College and Career Ready Performance Index. The CCRPI summarizes on a 100-point scale the Georgia Milestones Assessment System standardized test scores and other factors.
An average financial efficiency rating for the state isn’t calculated, but 3 stars is the most common 2019 rating among the 180 school districts in Georgia:
- 3 school districts received a perfect rating of 5 stars: Forsyth, Jefferson and Oconee counties.
- 11 received a 4.5
- 18 received a 4
- 31 received a 3.5
- 40 received a 3
- 33 received a 2.5
- 23 received a 2
- 15 received a 1.5
- 6 received the lowest rating of 1 star: Baker, Clay, Dooly, Hancock, Macon and Randolph counties.
Muscogee County
Despite its drop this past year, MCSD’s 3-star rating still compares well to the school districts in the state’s other second-tier cities:
- Bibb County (Macon) decreased from 2.5 to 2.
- Chatham County (Savannah) increased from 2 to 2.5.
- Richmond County (Augusta) increased from 2.5 to 3.
The rating of 3 stars for Muscogee (30,756 students) is based on its three-year average CCRPI score of 72.3 and its three-year per pupil expenditure average of $9,141.08 (41st percentile in the state).
So, although Muscogee’s three-year average CCRPI score increased from 71.1 in 2018, its rating decreased by half a star because its three-year per pupil expenditure increased from $8,720.54 (39th percentile) in 2018.
MCSD superintendent David Lewis told the Ledger-Enquirer the district had an increase in the number of students requiring additional and more costly support, such as special education and English for speakers of other languages.
Lewis also noted the Muscgoee County School Board funds smaller class sizes, as well as art, music and physical education, beyond the allotment from the state.
“We are pleased by the return on investment that led to the improvement in our district’s performance metrics, including the increase in the College and Career Readiness Performance Index that reached an all-time high,” Lewis said in his email.
The board has asked Columbus voters to renew the 1 percent Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax in a referendum on the May 19 ballot (postptoned from March 24 because of the coronavirus pandemic). Asked how much the drop in MCSD’s financial efficiency rating should factor into the voters’ decision, Lewis emphasized the rating’s calculation doesn’t include ESPLOST spending.
The calculation guide for the ratings confirms that point. It says capital projects are among the excluded expenditures because they can’t be linked to one specific year and “designation to one year would disproportionately add to that year’s total expenditures.”
But an independent certified public accountant, Robinson, Grimes & Company of Columbus, annually audits the district’s ESPLOST spending and determined it does so “in a sound fiscal manner,” Lewis said.
Harris County
The rating of 3.5 stars for Harris County (5,190 students) is based on its three-year average CCRPI score of 78.3 and its three-year per pupil expenditure average of $8,996.73 (34th percentile).
Last year, its three-year average CCRPI score was 79.8 and its three-year average per pupil expenditure was $8,624.34 (33rd percentile).
Dave Dennie, HCSD’s assistant superintendent for curriculum, told the L-E in an email, “The fact that our numbers are stable and nearly identical to last year are encouraging. Next year, we expect that the majority of our schools will break the 80 mark on the CCRPI indicator, which in turn should bump our FESR indicator by 0.5 points for all schools.”
Chattahoochee County
The rating of 2.5 stars for ChattCo (876 students) is based on its three-year average CCRPI score of 75.3 and its three-year per pupil expenditure average of $10,228.81 (77th percentile).
Last year, its three-year average CCRPI score was 75.3 and its three-year average per pupil expenditure was $10,167.97 (82nd percentile in the state).
So, although its CCRPI remained the same and its spending per pupil increased, ChattCo’s rating increased by a half star because its spending ranked lower compared to the state’s other school districts.
“We are pleased that our star rating continues to increase,” ChattCo superintendent Kristie Brooks told the L-E in an email. “However, we realize that, with a small student population, statistical differences can occur rather quickly under the current formula used to calculate the financial efficiency rating.”
Still, she praised the district for “developing financial reserves in the general fund while we still work to obtain a debt-free status. Every employee has made a concerted effort to address spending and ensure alignment of budgets to the strategic goal areas.”
