Today, the News & Observer reports the most recent data from two years ago:
North Carolina ranked 45th in the nation in per-student spending on public schools in 2010, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released Thursday.
The state’s public school systems spent an average of $8,409 per-student in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, according to the report.
Yes, that is the ranking for the 2009-2010 school year…when the Democrats controlled the General Assembly…and the N&O did not take much notice of state-by-state rankings of per-pupil expenditures. Now that the Republicans are in charge of the legislature, they have taken a real interest in the matter. It is coincidence, I’m sure.
In April, for example, the N&O published an entire editorial about a National Education Association (NEA) ranking of per-pupil expenditures for the 2011-2012 school year. Remember this line?
Yippee – we’re 42nd! Take a bow, North Carolina! When it comes to education spending, kindergarten through 12th grade, there are eight states that spend even less per pupil than we do!
Just to be clear, the latest National Education Association (NEA) Rankings and Estimates report says that North Carolina ranks 42nd in total per-pupil expenditure for the 2011-2012 school year.
