You’d never know it from media reports or listening to the education lobby in Topeka, but 79 districts that lost students this year actually increased employment! And perhaps the greatest complainer of them all – Kansas City – added 
more employees than students.
The adjacent table includes some of the more eye-opening disparities. Hutchinson (one of the districts diverting money from Instruction to sue citizens for more money) had a 7 percent enrollment decline but increased employment. Three other districts – Great Bend, Topeka and Shawnee Mission – lost hundreds of students but still added staff.
Overall, enrollment declined by about 1,900 students on a full-time equivalent basis this year and total employment dropped by about 250; on a percentage basis, employment declined a little less than enrollment. There are 15.5 students per classroom teacher on average and there is one full-time equivalent employee for every 6.8 students.
The complete listing for every district is available at KansasOpenGov.org.
