Carol Zink: Cost of everything has gone up, including education

To The Daily Sun,

Regarding Bruce Jenket's letter about New Hampshire school costs: According to the NH government website, education.nh.gov, "The new statewide average operating cost per pupil of $20,323 is a 4.8% increase from last year’s average cost per pupil of $19,400. Total expenditures for the 2022-23 school year were more than $3.8 billion in New Hampshire. The increase in cost per pupil is a function of both increasing costs and declining student enrollment. It is important to note that student enrollment across the state is steadily declining with 165,095 students now enrolled in New Hampshire public schools as of Oct. 1, 2023. This is a 20% decrease."

It is also worth noting that $1 in 2,000 is now $1.79 — a 79% increase in 24 years. So it is not surprising that, with declining enrollment and inflation, the cost per pupil has gone up. If we take the amount per pupil in 2000, $15,868, and multiply that by $1.79, the cost is 28,403. So the 2024 figure for Moultonborough of $32,880 is not much higher than the amount to be expected from a 24 year change in the value of a dollar.

While we all wish we were paying now what we paid in 1979 for everything (housing, gas, food, clothing, taxes, and education), that ignores reality — and also doesn't take into account rising wages and salaries. In 1979, I was a lieutenant junior grade in the Navy and my pay was about $14,000, including base pay and allowances. A LTJG in the Navy today is paid nearly $72,00 in base pay and allowances.

Carol Zink

Holderness