Gilbert Public Schools' administrative costs are lower than its peer districts and state averages, according to the district's annual financial report.
Finance Director Jackie Matinen presented the unaudited report for fiscal year 2023-24 to the governing board, along with Budget Manager Lauren Torska, who prepared the report, at the board's Oct. 15 meeting.
In response to a question from Board Member Ronda Page, Matinen said the district's general administration salaries and benefits totaled $2.8 million of the district's full $272 million in spending.
Furthermore, Matinen said GPS has an administrative spend per pupil of $951 in fiscal year 2022-23 while its peer average was more than a thousand dollars and the state average was $1,207.
"So according to the auditor general's report, we are considered low in administration," she said.
Other key highlights from the AFR included a $7 million difference between the ending cash balance and the budget balance carry forward due to state law restrictions on budget capacity increases.
The report also covered year-over-year comparisons of revenues and expenses, noting a significant increase in state funding and a decrease in expenses due to a $20 million prepayment for the Arizona State Retirement System in fiscal year 2022-23.
The report also included details on unrestricted capital spending, classroom site funds and nutrition services revenue trends.
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
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