Pendergast Elementary School District

In fiscal year 2009, Pendergast Elementary School District compared favorably to peer districts in operational efficiencies, but not as well in student achievement with AIMS scores lower than both peer district and state averages. The District operated efficiently overall, with its administrative, food service, and plant operations costs similar to peer districts', and its transportation costs lower than peer districts'. The District hires less expensive general helpers to assist custodians at schools as one method for controlling plant operation costs. This practice saved the District over $200,000 in fiscal year 2009. Further, Pendergast ESD's transportation program operated efficiently despite the District's higher percentage of more costly special education route miles. The District employed several cost-saving methods, including using transportation technology, establishing an effective preventative maintenance program, and monitoring performance measures and employee time. Finally, a shift in spending since fiscal year 2006 indicates the District may have used Classroom Site Fund (CSF) monies to supplant non-CSF monies in the classroom. The initial spending shift occurred in fiscal year 2007 as a drop in enrollment growth coincided with the District's opening a new school. However, when student growth resumed in fiscal year 2008, the District's classroom dollar percentage did not increase as expected because the District had made a decision to spend more money on instructional support services. If the District had continued to direct its non-CSF monies into the classroom at the same rate as it did in fiscal year 2001, an additional $3 million would have been spent in the classroom in fiscal year 2009.