As national education spending per pupil rises, student enrollment is dropping and test scores across the United States are falling, which raises concern over how effectively taxpayer dollars are being used in public schools.
Since 2002, K-12 public school spending has increased by more than 35%, yet enrollment has dropped 2.1%, which is over a million students over the past five years. Student achievement has also declined, with only one-third of students nationwide scoring at or above the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading, according to the National Assessment Governing Board.
Currently, 40% of fourth graders are working below the NAEP basic level in reading, the highest percentage since 2002.
These declines continue despite record per-pupil spending. In 2024, New York leads as the highest per-pupil spending state, at $32,284. California is also among the highest, currently at $25,941. The lowest spending states include Utah, Idaho and Mississippi.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, average reading scores fell three points, while eighth-grade math dropped eight points. These declines were largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while total nationwide school district debt rose more than 2.1% from $532.5 billion in 2021 to $543.9 billion in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
An increase in teacher and administrator salaries and benefits is a primary cause of rising school spending. Among the 50 states, California maintains the highest average starting teacher salary at $58,409. The average salary for teachers in California is $101,084, according to a WalletHub report.
School spending has risen amid concerns over test scores.
“The continued declines in reading scores are particularly troubling. Reading is foundational to all subjects, and failure to read well keeps students from accessing information and building knowledge across content areas,” National Assessment Governing Board member Patrick Kelly said in a news release.
Parents and teachers educate and discipline, not money.
Throw all the money you want to at it, but until you have parents who give a $hit about teaching their kids anything and teachers who are qualified and don’t push their own personal agendas, it won’t change. Money is not the answer. Dedicated parents and teachers are the answer.