Per-pupil spending nears $36K in New York City

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New York City Public Schools spent $35,914 per pupil in fiscal year 2022, the highest per-student expenditure among the nation's 100 largest school districts that year, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Education.

In contrast, State-Sponsored Charter Schools in Nevada, an independent charter school district, spent $7,800 per student that same year — the lowest amount for the 100 districts examined.

Nationally, the median per-pupil expenditure among all school districts reached $14,655 in FY 22 — a 2.2% increase from the year before. Districts with suburban schools spent the most per student, at $16,129, and districts with schools in towns spent the least, at $13,295.

Data for the analysis of district expenditures and revenues by the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics was collected from states through the School District Finance Survey, which covers about 19,000 school districts nationwide.

The report, released this month, follows a similar examination of FY 2022 national and state-level school expenditures and revenues, released by NCES in May. That report showed that per-student spending nationally crept up by 1.8% between fiscal years 2021 and 2022 — from $15,321 to $15,591. But that percentage increase fell short of the 3.5% bump between FY 2020 and FY 2021.

The analysis of K-12 revenues and spending may help education professionals better understand financial trends, particularly as COVID-19 emergency spending tapers off this year and next.

Here, we share highlights from both reports.

By the numbers

86%

The percentage of all revenues for public elementary and secondary education from state and local governments, which totaled $784.3 billion in fiscal 2022. The federal government contributed $124.9 billion, or 13.7% of all revenues, including from COVID-19 emergency funding.

$18,461

The average per-pupil revenue amount nationally in FY 22, which is a 1.3% increase between FY 21 and FY 22, after adjusting for inflation.

The number of states that saw increased per-pupil total revenues between FY 21 and FY 22. Total per-pupil revenues decreased in the District of Columbia and 24 states during the same time period.

$312.8 billion

The amount nationally in total FY 22 revenues that came from local property taxes or locally budgeted money, representing 34.3% of school district revenues.

-0.2%

The percentage decrease in expenditures nationally dedicated to instruction (from $457.7 billion to $457 billion) between FY 21 and FY 22.

$9,496

The per-student expenditure in Utah — the lowest of all states. New York was the highest, at $29,284 in FY 22. Several states increased per-pupil expenditures between FY 21 and FY 22, including North Carolina (7.5%), Louisiana (6.4%) and California (6.3%).

-4.9%

The percentage decrease in per-pupil expenditures in Wyoming between FY 21 and FY 22. Other states with lower per-pupil spending in that time frame include Montana (-4.7%) and Maine (-4.5%).

$15,565

The per-pupil expenditures in high-poverty school districts in FY 22. That's a 2.7% difference compared to low-poverty districts' per-student spending of $15,138.