School district's budget and spending are directly related to enrollment. Of the two districts, De Pere happens to have the largest Fund 10 balance and total allowable revenue limit. We also beat Howard-Suamico when it comes to rank by median household income.
See:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/173770/Bay-Conference-Financial
http://www.scribd.com/doc/180281/Wealthiest-School-Districts
While this is true, ironically De Pere support staff have some of the lowest starting wages compared to other adjacent districts. Typically with $.50 to $1.50 starting lag depending on the area/classification of work.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47784982/My-Wage-Comparison
Below you get a dollar comparison example for local area specific living wages:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22116174/Green-Bay-Living-Wage
As some are aware when it comes time to negotiate a new contract, our district limits its self to comparing to other districts in our same athletic conference for wage and language bargaining. As of Dec 2005 the WIAA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) announced it's new proposed conferences.
Above I put Cost Of Living information because you can't compare apples to oranges. Ironically what I have noticed is in places with a much lower cost of living such as Pulaski for instance, ironically their wages are higher. What this all means for future bargaining is something we should discuss. Here's another example that shows the smaller areas with lower costs of living seem to have higher wages.
Notes:
The wages represented in the categories of custodial, secretary, food service and aids are an average of all the different paying positions within that dept.
* De Pere's cost of living index is typically 10-12% more than that of Green Bay
I'd like to get updated wage comparison data as the above report link is out dated, and the numbers I'm using are for a few years ago. If someone could get me some updated data, I'd be happy to work it into a cumulative report. To me, much much won't change. Because in the past nothing really has. The numbers have been in our favor and will still be so in the new conference. Facts are we are growing, the taxpayers have the income, the district takes it in and spends it. We don't see much of it, and our wages still lag. Those are the facts. The sad truth seems to be, that no matter how many numbers are in your favor at bargaining time you get what other districts settle at if you are lucky. That lag never really goes away.
Recently I stumbled into an WERC arbitration petition between the De Pere School district and the De Pere Education Association. Case IV No. 29824 Dec 27, 1982. What's interesting about this case is that it defines comparable districts.
"Both parties agree that three school districts are comparable. They are Ashwaubenon, Howard-Suamico, and West De Pere."
"The De Pere school board does not believe the Green Bay School District to be comparable as it has 906.FTE in comparison to the 125.85FTE staff level in De Pere. They believe the Green Bay district is simply to large to provide any valid basis of comparison."
"It is the opinion of the mediator/arbitrator that-Marinette and Seymour are comparable districts to De Pere. This conclusion is based on a variety of considerations including the fact that they are, as is De Pere, member schools of the Bay Athletic Conference. Arbitrators usually agree that athletic conference schools are generally comparable absent special circumstances. It is also deemed that De Pere is comparable to Seymour and Marinette because of their similarity in terms of their enrollment, FTE, and other tax and cost factors. For instance, De Pere is only slightly smaller than Marinette and Seymour in terms of enrollment and FTE."
