Classrooms, Not Bureaucrats

TL;DR

PPS spends 20% of its budget on overhead and proposes a colossal $1.83B bond for fancy new buildings instead of fixing urgent classroom needs. Instead, cut top-heavy bureaucracy, cap central administration costs, and redirect every dollar to teachers, students, and essential school upgrades.

1. What Does “Classrooms, Not Bureaucrats” Actually Mean?

We refuse to let 19–20% of PPS’s budget disappear into “Support Services” and overhead while classrooms lack resources. By capping administrative spending and forcing line-by-line transparency, every new dollar goes to teacher salaries, learning materials, and smaller class sizes. No more open-ended budgets or six-figure executive roles that don’t benefit kids.

2. Why Is This Important for PPS?

  1. High Administrative Costs: Bloated overhead often cannibalizes funds that should go to textbooks, arts programs, and special education.

  2. Fiscal Pressure on Voters: Taxpayers balk at a record-breaking $1.83B bond when PPS doesn’t first trim bureaucracy.

  3. Transparency Gaps: Past budget processes lacked clarity, leading to surprise cuts for classrooms while administrative spending soared.

3. How Does This Address ‘Bureaucratic Waste’?

  1. Spending Caps: We set a maximum percentage of the general fund for central office and overhead—e.g., 15% instead of nearly 20%.

  2. Line-by-Line Audits: Each sub-department—IT, HR, Legal, Equity & Inclusion, Security—must publish mini-budgets showing exactly how money is spent.

  3. No Bloated Construction Projects: Before sinking billions into “gold-plated” high schools, we fix urgent issues like HVAC systems, roof leaks, and accessibility.

4. What About the $1.83B Bond?

We say “No” to blindly funding ultra-expensive new buildings while ignoring basic repairs. Withdraw the bond—or dramatically scale it back—and prove first that overhead is contained. Voters deserve to see that money is going to real classroom improvements.

5. Why Prioritize Existing Schools Over ‘Flashy’ Projects?

Many PPS facilities suffer from outdated infrastructure, which impacts safety and the learning environment. Taxpayers want to see every dollar go to practical fixes—like functioning heating/cooling, modern wiring, and safe classrooms—instead of vanity architecture.

6. How Will Accountability Improve?

  1. Public Dashboards: PPS will publish all major contracts and overhead costs online in plain language so the public can explore where the money is going and to whom.

  2. Proof of Value: Every consultant and every program must show tangible results. If a contract yields no benefit, it's terminated, freeing funds for students.

  • Enrollment-Based Consolidations: With fewer students, underutilized schools may merge or close to save on overhead rather than quietly wasting resources.

7. Key Actions PPS Will Take to Enforce This

  1. Enact an Overhead Cap

    • Limit the central office’s share of the budget to 15%.

    • Freeze any director-level (or higher) hires unless offset by proven savings or documented ROI for classrooms.

  2. Withdraw or Overhaul the $1.83B Bond.

    • No more open-ended building projects without a strict oversight committee.

    • Cost containment measures: standardized designs, competitive bids, and public reviews of all plans.

  3. Transparent Budget Hearings

    • Publish line-item details.

    • Open forums where parents, teachers, and taxpayers can question or veto excessive spending.

  4. Set ‘Money-Back’ Benchmarks: If a program or contract fails, reallocate that money directly into teacher pay, art, music, special education, etc.

  5. Freeze Non-Teaching Hires & Limit Admin Pay

    • For any new top-level role, show the exact benefit to students (e.g., fewer class splits, updated curriculum, etc.).

    • Administrative salary growth is capped until specific targets—like smaller class sizes or improved graduation rates—are met.