Title: The States That Spend the Most (and the Least) on Education
Headings: The States That Spend the Most (and the Least) on Education
The States That Spend the Most (and the Least) on Education
Several factors are behind the drastic differences in funding.
Revenues
Teacher Salaries
Employee Benefits
Cost of Living
Demographics
Class Sizes
Administrative Costs
State and Local Policy
Education Spending by State
Mike Maciag

Content: Several factors help to explain the vast differences in spending. Here are a few key drivers: Revenues
The amount school districts spend is more a function of the money available than the actual costs of educating students, says Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics lab at Georgetown University. School districts will always spend just about all the money they’re allocated. Schools in areas more reliant on state funding than on local property taxes generally have fewer total dollars available to them, but there’s more equity across their districts. The largest spending spikes are found in districts serving regions with high-property values, Roza said. Teacher Salaries
Wage and salary expenses are one area where there’s a particularly large variation across states. New York spends the most -- $8,712 per student -- followed by Connecticut and New Jersey. By comparison, states with fewer teachers and lower wages report spending as little as $3,000 per student in some cases. The influence of teachers’ unions may push wages higher in some states, as do favorable labor market conditions.