As tough economic conditions and rapidly rising costs continue to strain school district budgets, spending by K-12 institutions on maintenance and operations (M&O) faces growing pressure.
The median school district allocated a smaller percentage of total district expenditures (TDE) to M&O in 2007-08 — 8.35 percent, down from 9.19 percent the year before, according to American School & University's 37th annual Maintenance and Operations Cost Study. While lower, the 8.35 percent of TDE still is higher than the percentages allocated throughout much of the decade.
As noted last year, spending on energy/utilities remains high, reflecting skyrocketing costs to operate facilities. Rising prices also are forcing available funds to be redirected from other areas. For example, maintenance staff is being required to “do more with less” — the square footage maintained per full-time custodial worker jumped 14 percent to 26,786 from 23,408 the year before.
Following are findings from the latest M&O Cost Study that can help you in benchmarking expenditures at your institution. Data provided reflect actual spending by school districts on M&O and are not intended to be “ideal” amounts for allocations. Numerous factors — such as age and overall condition of buildings, the labor market in your area, climate, etc. — also will affect your costs when compared with the national medians.
Study methodology
To arrive at data for the AS&U Maintenance & Operations Cost Study, a detailed questionnaire was mailed in October 2007 to chief business officials at the nation's public school districts asking them to document their institutions' M&O expenditures per student and per square foot for the 2007-08 school year. Categories include:-
Per student: Based on total district enrollment (average daily attendance as of October 2007).
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Per square foot: Based on total gross area of all district buildings maintained, including corridors, offices and common space.
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Total district expenditures (TDE): Amounts for the 2007-08 school year.
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Total maintenance and operations (M&O) expenditures: Including salaries, benefits, outside contracts, utilities, energy, trash collection/disposal, equipment and supplies, etc., for custodial, maintenance and grounds.
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Custodial: Those individuals responsible for building upkeep and cleaning.
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Maintenance: Those individuals who perform skilled jobs, such as HVAC, electrical or plumbing repair.
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Grounds: Those individuals responsible for landscape upkeep and maintenance.
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Payroll: Including benefits.
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Average salary: Annualized, excluding benefits.
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Outside contract labor: Those hired for specialized jobs to maintain or repair building systems or equipment, such as HVAC maintenance or repair.
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Energy: Including gas, electricity and other fuels used to operate facilities.
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Utilities: Including water, telephone, etc.
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Other: Most often identified as clerical costs, equipment repair and rental, insurance and travel.
Maintenance & Operations Costs (Expressed in median dollars per student)
| Total Payroll | $380.48 |
| Custodial** | $279.41 |
| Maintenance** | $88.87 |
| Grounds** | $35.99 |
| Outside Contract Labor | $41.70 |
| Total Energy/Utilities | $299.43 |
| Energy (gas, electricity, other fuels)** | $246.60 |
| Utilities** | $40.37 |
| Trash Collection/Disposal** | $9.94 |
| Total Equipment & Supplies | $68.18 |
| Custodial/Maint. Equip. & Supplies** | $45.58 |
| Grounds Equip. & Supplies** | $13.59 |
| Other | $86.55 |
| Total M&O* | $876.34 |
| Total District Expenditures (TDE) | $10,501 |
| M&O as % TDE | 8.35% |
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*Calculated from subtotals (in bold). **Based on fewer responses than the total because of schools that combine some of these categories. |
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Maintenance & Operations Costs (Expressed in median dollars per square foot)
| Total Payroll | $2.05 |
| Custodial** | $1.61 |
| Maintenance** | $0.53 |
| Grounds** | $0.22 |
| Outside Contract Labor | $0.21 |
| Total Energy/Utilities | $1.52 |
| Energy (gas, electricity, other fuels)** | $1.25 |
| Utilities** | $0.22 |
| Trash Collection/Disposal** | $0.05 |
| Total Equipment & Supplies | $0.38 |
| Custodial/Maint. Equip. & Supplies** | $0.27 |
| Grounds Equip. & Supplies** | $0.06 |
| Other | $0.40 |
| Total M&O Budget* | $4.56 |
| Total District Expenditures (TDE) | $58.69 |
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*Calculated from subtotals (in bold). **Based on fewer responses than the total because of schools that combine some of these categories. |
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Total gross area of buildings maintained
(including corridors and other common and office areas of all district buildings) by survey respondents
| Less than 125,000 square feet | 12 |
| 125,000 to 249,999 square feet | 16 |
| 250,000 to 449,999 square feet | 21 |
| 450,000 to 699,999 square feet | 15 |
| 700,000 to 1,249,999 square feet | 14 |
| 1,250,000 square feet or more | 17 |
| No answer | 5 |
M&O expenditures — the past 20 years
Spending by school districts on maintenance and operations as a percentage of total district expenditures over the past two decades:
| 1989 | 11.70% |
| 1990 | 11.31% |
| 1991 | 9.38% |
| 1992 | 10.73% |
| 1993 | 9.03% |
| 1994 | 9.21% |
| 1995 | 9.05% |
| 1996 | 9.55% |
| 1997 | 9.59% |
| 1998 | 9.40% |
| 1999 | 9.09% |
| 2000 | 9.03% |
| 2001 | 8.50% |
| 2002 | 7.78% |
| 2003 | 7.43% |
| 2004 | 7.70% |
| 2005 | 7.51% |
| 2006 | 7.58% |
| 2007 | 9.19% |
| 2008 | 8.35% |
8,742 Mean number of students of responding school districts.
Total gross area of grounds maintained
(by survey respondents)
| Less than 10 acres | 6% |
| 10 to 24 acres | 9% |
| 25 to 49 acres | 13% |
| 50 to 99 acres | 22% |
| 100 to 199 acres | 18% |
| 200 acres or more | 20% |
| No answer | 12% |
$6.9 Mean total M&O expenditure, in millions, of responding school districts.
Personnel update
Mean number of full-time custodial, maintenance and grounds personnel at school districts:
| Custodial | 58 |
| Maintenance | 25 |
| Grounds | 8 |
Privatizing M&O
17.7%
The percentage of school districts contracting out maintenance and operations services.
Total maintenance and operations expenditures
(per survey respondents)
| Less than $450,000 | 10% |
| $450,000 to $999,999 | 10% |
| $1 million to $1,749,999 | 18% |
| $1,750,000 to $2,749,999 | 15% |
| $2,750,000 to $6,499,999 | 22% |
| $6,500,000 or more | 15% |
| No answer | 10% |
$1.9
Mean amount spent annually, in millions, on energy (gas, electricity and other fuels) by responding school districts.
Square-footage details
Median amount of square feet (SF) and acreage maintained at school districts:
| SF maintained per full-time custodial worker | 26,786 |
| SF maintained per full-time maintenance worker | 107,439 |
| Acres maintained per full-time grounds worker | 45 |
| SF maintained per building | 72,533 |
| SF of bldg. maintained per student | 177.61 |
1.4
Mean amount of square feet, in millions, maintained by responding school districts.
Salary update
Median salary for custodial and maintenance personnel at school districts: Custodial:$28,547 Maintenance:$40,000
Agron is editor-in-chief of AS&U.
About the Author
Joe Agron
Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher
Joe Agron is the editor-in-chief/associate publisher of American School & University magazine. Joe has overseen AS&U's editorial direction for more than 25 years, and has helped influence and shape national school infrastructure issues. He has been sought out for comments by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, ABC News and CNN, and assisted with the introduction of the Education Infrastructure Act of 1994.
Joe also authors a number of industry-exclusive reports. His "Facilities Impact on Learning" series of special reports won national acclaim and helped bring the poor condition of the nation's schools to the attention of many in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education and the White House.