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Study: K-12 Public Spending Nears $1 Trillion in U.S.
U.S. K–12 spending rose nearly 35% from 2002 to 2023, driven by higher pension and employee benefit costs despite enrollment and academic declines.
- Reason Foundation analysis found U.S. public school spending is nearing $1 trillion, rising almost 35% between 2002 and 2023 in K–12 school districts.
- Rising employee benefit and pension costs drive spending, with employee benefits up 134.9% since 2002 and the California State Teachers' Retirement System reporting $85.5 billion debt in 2024.
- California saw per-student spending climb 31.5% from $19,724 in 2020 to $25,941 in 2023 while California public schools lost 318,532 students since 2020.
- Nearly 44% of fourth graders can't read at a basic level while public school students face nonacademic demands, and Lance Izumi called the spending-outcomes disconnect troubling.
- Lawmakers must confront structural K-12 finance problems, Aaron Smith urged addressing pension debt and closing under-enrolled schools while Lance Izumi recommended restoring phonics and higher standards.
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52 Articles
52 Articles
Study: K-12 public spending nears $1 trillion in U.S.
(The Center Square) - School districts across the country have significantly increased spending since 2020, even as they face steep declines in student enrollment and academic performance, according to a new analysis from the Reason Foundation.
·Florida, United States
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Total News Sources52
Leaning Left3Leaning Right8Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
14%
C 50%
R 36%
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