School districts that privatize usually pay teachers more

By Jack Spencer | Michigan Capitol Confidential

Michigan school districts that privatize food, custodial and transportation services tend to pay higher teacher salaries than school districts that privatize none.

According to data from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s “Michigan School Privatization Survey 2013,” 43 school districts reported that they have privatized food, custodial and transportation services. Far more districts (186) reported they do not privatize any of these services. And 65.5 percent of districts reported that they outsourced at least one service.

An examination of salary levels in these districts reveals that in the districts that privatize all three services the average teacher salary was approximately $60,000, while the average teacher salary in the 186 that don’t privatize those services was approximately $56,000.

at Michigan Capitol Confidential.