State Auditor Rob Sand has found administrative costs in Iowa public schools accounted for about eight percent of NEW spending over a recent six year period. When spending is calculated on a per pupil basis, administrative costs increased nearly 20 percent. Sand reviewed compensation for superintendents, principals, secretaries and staff who manage a district’s finances and H-R issues.
Sand reviewed publicly available data from July 1st of 2017 through June 30th of last year. Sand found smaller school districts spend a higher proportion of their budgets on administrative costs.
Sand says the report is part of the Public Innovation and Efficiencies or PIE program he started in 2019 shortly after being elected auditor.
The report also shows regional differences. Northwest Iowa was the region with the lowest average pay for school administrators and support staff, for example.
