The Lansing State Journal's March 24, 2007 article on the Okemos Montessori program presented only part of the story. The State Journal refers to the Montessori as a free program because in-district and school of choice students pay no tuition for this public school program. However the Montessori program is not without cost to traditional Okemos district programs which have to compete with Montessori for limited district resources. A Montessori Middle School will be yet another additional cost to Okemos taxpayers because incremental Montessori costs will exceed incremental Montessori revenues. Please remember the Okemos School Board is facing a deficit between $700,000 and $1.7 million for the current fiscal year. In such times how can we justify expanding a program, the enrollment in which comes nearly half from out of the district?
Table 1 shows direct teacher costs for Okemos elementary schools taken from the published school budget of 2005-6. Montessori is by far the most costly elementary program. The claim that Montessori makes money for the Okemos district is simply not true. The board claims the movement of Okemos students from traditional programs to Montessori creates revenue for the Montessori, but the same movement also creates a loss for the traditional program. Therefore there is no net financial benefit to the district. As a result the district overestimates elementary Montessori profitability by $843,552 (101 Okemos resident Montessori students x $8352 foundation allowance per student). Clearly the board is misleading the public with its claims of Montessori profitability.
| Central | Cornell | Wardcliff | Hiawatha | Bennett Woods | Total | Montessori | |||
| Teacher Salaries | $706,205 | $1,021,885 | $848,048 | $1,249,953 | $945,289 | $610,276 | |||
| Teacher Benefits | $134,196 | $196,439 | $152,240 | $198,765 | $154,721 | $206,338 | |||
| Teacher Retirement | $124,217 | $166,976 | $126,105 | $204,242 | $154,460 | $104,458 | |||
| Teacher FICA | $58,156 | $78,174 | $64,876 | $95,621 | $72,315 | $48,905 | |||
| Total | $1,022,774 | $1,463,474 | $1,192,269 | $1,748,581 | $1,326,785 | $6,753,883 | $969,977 | ||
| Enrollment | 206 | 350 | 260 | 414 | 336 | 1566 | 176 | ||
| Avg. Per Student Cost | $4,965 | $4,181 | $4,586 | $4,224 | $3,949 | $4,312 | $5,511 |
As the State Journal mentioned, Montessori is an elitist program. Its elitist tendencies make it a poor program for a public school offering. Currently only 2.7% of Okemos students participate. Due to smaller class size and lower student to teacher ratios it is not a program a public school can afford to expand indefinitely. Perhaps those who favor an elitist education should pay for the private school. There is every indication the local private Montessori schools do an excellent job. A public school should seek opportunities from which a much larger cross section might benefit.
State Journal articles are quick to quote school of choice parents who praise Montessori. Of course the program is a good deal for them. They have nothing to lose. Their foundation allowance is picking up their tab, but not the whole cost. Unfortunately for Okemos the school of choice foundation allowance is typically $1200 less than the Okemos foundation grant. Our district is currently struggling to maintain the historical "Okemos education" at $8352 per student. No wonder we are facing this large deficit trying to educate over 500 school of choice students at a "bargain" rate. It is Okemos taxpayers who are being asked to pick up the additional tab. ( See Table 2 for area district foundation allowances.)
| District | Foundation Per Pupil | |
| 32650 | Verona Township School District 1F | $7,085.00 |
| 33010 | East Lansing School District | $8,203.00 |
| 33020 | Lansing Public School District | $7,490.00 |
| 33040 | Dansville Agricultural School | $7,207.00 |
| 33060 | Haslett Public Schools | $7,243.00 |
| 33070 | Holt Public Schools | $7,526.00 |
| 33100 | Leslie Public Schools | $7,085.00 |
| 33130 | Mason Public Schools | $7,161.00 |
| 33170 | Okemos Public Schools | $8,352.00 |
| 33200 | Stockbridge Community Schools | $7,085.00 |
| 33215 | Waverly Schools | $8,769.00 |
| 33220 | Webberville Community Schools | $7,085.00 |
| 33230 | Williamston Community Schools | $7,129.00 |
The board has misled about Montessori costs as well. They fail to include the fact that Edgewood (closed to save money a few years ago) is scheduled for a new roof, new carpet and a $50,000 gym floor this year. Staff costs for music, art, gym and other educational enrichments are rarely detailed in cost assessments. And this is just the beginning of the additional costs.
The Lansing State Journal and the public should insist on an independent accounting of the Montessori program. Our Okemos School district mission should be to provide equal educational opportunities for all district students. We cannot afford, nor can we condone a system which fosters inequities or promotes personal agendas. The public deserves the truth about Montessori profitability. It certainly appears the current school board has not been providing it.