Skools ping :-).
It's no different anywhere else. Show me one massive layoff in which upper management takes a direct hit. Nope; it's always the worker bee who gets the fatal blow, never the queen.
Administration staff has been beefed up during declining enrollment to maximize state and federal funds. The larger school districts have staff dedicated exclusively to researching and applying for grants. At-risk kids, non-english-speaking kids, kids with learning disabilities, low-income, single-parent, minorities, large families, children at risk due to absent or incarcerated parents --- you can find a bucket of money for any of these if you know where to look.
These "administrators" administer funds, not children
Let me give you the real reason:
Administrators = Management
Teachers = Production Workers
Not only administrators, but also "support staff" (such as counselors, psychologists, etc) seem to be above lay-offs.
bump
The Administrators decide who gets the ax. Is it any wonder that they decide someone else takes the hit?
The NEA - phony jobs for losers.