How States Stack Up in School Funding
School funding is not a one-size-fits-all issue. Each state has its own set of challenges and resources. A recent study by the Education Law Center (ELC) looked at how states fund education using three different measures. The study, "Making The Grade 2025", used data from 2023 to give a more detailed look at how states rank in their commitment to public education.
Per-Student Spending
The national average for per-student spending is $17,853. However, there are significant variations:
- Top Spenders:
- New York: $29,440
- Vermont
- D.C.
- New Jersey
Connecticut
- Lowest Spenders:
- Idaho: $11,805
- Florida
- Oklahoma
- Nevada
- Arizona
- Utah
- North Carolina
Funding Distribution
The study also examined how funding is distributed between low-poverty and high-poverty districts:
- Top States for Equitable Distribution:
- Utah: High-poverty districts receive 60% more per-pupil funding than low-poverty districts.
- California
- Wyoming
- Minnesota
- New Mexico
- Bottom States for Equitable Distribution:
- Connecticut: Allocates 19% less for high-poverty districts.
- Florida
- Missouri
- Oregon
- New Hampshire
Funding Effort
Funding effort measures PK-12 revenue as a percentage of the state's gross domestic product (GDP):
- Top States for Funding Effort:
- South Carolina: Ranks in the top ten despite spending less than the national average per student.
- Vermont: 5.44%
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Illinois
Connecticut
- Bottom States for Funding Effort:
- North Carolina: 1.98%
- Arizona
- Nevada
- Florida
- Tennessee
About the Education Law Center
The Education Law Center (ELC) was founded in 1973 by Professor Paul Tractenberg of Rutgers Law School. Initially focused on funding practices in New Jersey, the ELC has since expanded its focus nationally. Their mission is to pursue justice and equity for public school students by enforcing their right to a high-quality education in safe, equitable, non-discriminatory, integrated, and well-funded learning environments.
