Do you ever wonder how the cost of public education has bloated over the years? It may have something to do with the support staff school districts employ. For example, in the 1970s there was no such thing as a teacher’s aide. Now, thanks to the growth of special education, the position has ballooned. A study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute says, “Our sense is that these millions of people have quietly accumulated over the years as districts simply added employees in response to sundry needs, demands, and pressures – including state and federal mandates and funding streams – without carefully examining the decisions they were making or considering possible tradeoffs and alternatives. This was the path of least resistance and, at a time of rising budgets, was viable even if imprudent.” If school districts examine their staff, than they may find they are using money for salaries that could be better used by spending it straight into the classroom. More…