Other topics
Better schools add value
- To the School eg, enhanced reputation, extra programs
- For the learners eg, useful learning, well being
- To the staff & families eg, teaching skills, parenting, good working conditions
- To the community, eg, a model of community
Better schools not more expensive.
- Top (capable, cooperative, independent, contributing) students cost the least to educate!
- Students who fail to learn are increasingly expensive to educate: they may be uncooperative, remain highly dependent for much of their activity, and usually have less to contribute within the school on the basis of their learning. "Non readers" and/or disruptive students are very expensive to teach. The amount of learning they achieve is small yet they attract a disproportionately high amount of the resources of the School they attend: the require greater direction, supervision, encouragement and support. In addition under-performing students frequently reduce what is possible within the classroom.
- Our top students add value for themselves and to the school itself.
Estimates
Education is a major component in the state, national and global economy.
The author (conservatively) estimates that
- Top students may well cost only 20% of what the least able students cost.
- Top students may well achieve learning value 2000% greater than the least able
- Top students may contribute 1000% more to operation of the school.
- Costs and savings are both cumulative and self generating, ie,
- present successes produce immediate savings (no intervention costs) and generate future savings
- unsuccessful interventions (current additional costs) generate a need for future additional costly intervention
Implications
Increasing quality is a major cost saver!! This is particularly important in this age of productivity.
Like all organizations, schools are required to do more with less.
- Quality schooling reduces the costs of schooling while increasing the value and maximising the contributions of the participants.
- This in turn further reduces the costs and increases the value.
Action
Learn about and make decisions on the basis of total costs, total benefits and value adding in
all aspects of your work.