Inflation and school costs

1. Teachers$2,887,749

   Inflation alone $3,340,222 · $452,473 less than inflation

2. Insurance, retirement, other$2,463,844

   Inflation alone $1,350,175 · $1,113,669 on top of inflation

3. Paras, therapists, substitutes$1,482,319

   Inflation alone $761,760 · $720,559 on top of inflation

4. Out-of-district tuition$801,733

   Inflation alone $544,803 · $256,930 on top of inflation

5. Buses$631,646

   Inflation alone $274,799 · $356,847 on top of inflation

6. Guidance and testing$507,763

   Inflation alone $252,920 · $254,843 on top of inflation

7. Buildings and upkeep$440,274

   Inflation alone $695,377 · $255,103 less than inflation

8. Principals and curriculum leads$400,460

   Inflation alone $610,400 · $209,940 less than inflation

9. Central administration$329,975

   Inflation alone $265,203 · $64,772 on top of inflation

10. Sports and student activities$301,513

    Inflation alone $181,747 · $119,766 on top of inflation

11. Food service$150,356

    Inflation alone $274,613 · $124,257 less than inflation

12. Books, supplies, technology$132,314

    Inflation alone $100,919 · $31,395 on top of inflation

13. Nurses and health$121,851

    Inflation alone $83,783 · $38,068 on top of inflation

14. Out-of-district transport$7,483

    Inflation alone $56,139 · $48,656 less than inflation

15. Professional development-$74,491

    Inflation alone $68,099 · $142,590 less than inflation

FY2009 to FY2025, all school money, grants included. The tick: what keeping up with inflation alone would have added (Boston-area prices; ours).

1. Teachers$2,887,749

   Its own inflation alone $2,953,967 · $66,218 less than its own inflation

2. Insurance, retirement, other$2,463,844

   Its own inflation alone $2,075,019 · $388,825 on top of its own inflation

3. Paras, therapists, substitutes$1,482,319

   Its own inflation alone $673,672 · $808,647 on top of its own inflation

4. Out-of-district tuition *$801,733

   Its own inflation alone $544,803 · $256,930 on top of its own inflation

5. Buses *$631,646

   Its own inflation alone $274,799 · $356,847 on top of its own inflation

6. Guidance and testing$507,763

   Its own inflation alone $223,673 · $284,090 on top of its own inflation

7. Buildings and upkeep$440,274

   Its own inflation alone $598,534 · $158,260 less than its own inflation

8. Principals and curriculum leads$400,460

   Its own inflation alone $539,815 · $139,355 less than its own inflation

9. Central administration$329,975

   Its own inflation alone $234,536 · $95,439 on top of its own inflation

10. Sports and student activities *$301,513

    Its own inflation alone $181,747 · $119,766 on top of its own inflation

11. Food service$150,356

    Its own inflation alone $247,288 · $96,932 less than its own inflation

12. Books, supplies, technology *$132,314

    Its own inflation alone $100,919 · $31,395 on top of its own inflation

13. Nurses and health$121,851

    Its own inflation alone $74,095 · $47,756 on top of its own inflation

14. Out-of-district transport *$7,483

    Its own inflation alone $56,139 · $48,656 less than its own inflation

15. Professional development *-$74,491

    Its own inflation alone $68,099 · $142,590 less than its own inflation

The tick: school pay, public employers’ benefits, groceries or home energy, national or regional, not Lunenburg’s. * None published: household prices.

1. Health insurance, Extended Day ($5,063 a bill)29.0%
2. Regular buses ($97,650 a bill)16.5%
3. Electricity ($4,706 a bill)16.0%
4. Health insurance ($304,729 a bill)15.0%
5. Inflation9.0%

Typical bill, FY2023 to FY2026: same company, same account, same number of payments each year. From the school department’s payment records.