How much money your public schools are spending
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U.S. public K-12 school systems spent 5.7% more per pupil in fiscal 2023 compared to 2022, per new Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: Spending per student can be a measure of educational resources afforded to kids, but also reflects the costs of administration, building maintenance, transportation, etc.
Zoom in: New Mexico (+18.4%); Washington, D.C. (+15.3%) and Hawai'i (+15.1%) had the greatest spending increases per pupil from 2022 to 2023.
- Only one state — Louisiana (-1.9%) — had a notable decrease; Nevada was nearly flat.
The big picture: In raw dollar terms, Washington, D.C. ($31,629); New York ($30,012) and Vermont ($26,345) had the most spending per pupil in 2023.
Caveat: These figures aren't adjusted for cost of living differences or inflation.
- And they're based on "current spending" rather than long-term capital outlays. Some states and districts categorize spending differently between those buckets.
The latest: Texas is launching one of the country's biggest school voucher programs, joining 30-plus states that offer families taxpayer dollars for private school tuition and other options.
- Supporters of such programs say they offer families more choice, while detractors argue they siphon funding and resources away from public schools and their lower-income students.
What's next: Many public schools rely at least partially on federal funding, the future of which is uncertain amid the Trump administration's budget cuts and political pressure.
