Myron Lieberman
Restoring School Board Options on Contracting Out
While school boards are asking for more money to build schools, repair current structures and increase teachers' salaries, opportunities to save money are being overlooked. Contracting out, or the subcontracting of services that are needed to keep a school system running, are not usually considered in cost-reducing efforts. School boards are often faced with "make or buy" decisions, such as whether to hire school bus drivers or employ a private transportation company. In public education, the usefulness and importance of these decisions is often ignored by school boards and administrators.