They claim it's because the students are more needy and demand more services. I think administrators excel at self justification and padding their ranks.

At the public school level, good teachers often strive to become administrators for better pay. I watched many exceptional teachers leave the ranks to become mediocre administrators, because of the higher pay scale. I always thought the work was done in the classroom, not in some office far away from kids. At least the intrinsic rewards don't migrate, everything meaningful and lasting happens in the classroom.

Here's the story of the one and only exceptional principal I worked for. His hard work and ingenuity pissed off the superintendent and got him fired.

https://medium.com/passive-asset/how-a-little-junior-high-threatened-the-profits-of-a-national-portrait-chain-4e179d76cf75