Welcome
In an effort to disseminate basic information about North Carolina’s public schools, this week’s newsletter lists per pupil expenditures and student performance results for all 115 school districts in the state.
CommenTerry
Last week, the NC Department of Public Instruction released financial data for the 2014-15 school year. In the table below, I included per pupil expenditure figures and (composite) grade-level math and reading proficiency percentages for students in grades 3-8.
Some highlights include:
- The state’s average per-pupil expenditure totaled $9,182 last year. That amount is the product of multiple revenue streams, including state ($5,638), federal ($1,005), local ($2,133), and 5-year average capital ($406) dollars.
- As one would expect, the state average masks huge variability in district spending. On the low end, Surry County Schools spends an average of $7,300 a year, while Hyde County Schools spends on average $17,600 per child. Although Surry’s expenditures are underwhelming compared to their peers, their students outperform Hyde’s on state reading and math tests.
- Last year, 85 of North Carolina’s 115 school districts spent more than $9,000/student on operating and capital expenses, and no district spent less than $7,300 per student.
- With the exception of charter and specialty schools, the state does not report per pupil expenditures by school.
- There is no significant relationship between total per pupil expenditures and EOG math results (r = 0.0167) or EOG reading results (r = -0.0005). (Note: These correlation coefficients are the product of a very simplistic analysis and do not take into account numerous district, school, and classroom variables.)
It is important to remember that the amount spent per student is not necessarily a reflection of quality or a guarantee of competence. Money matters insofar as it is used to cultivate productive educational environments. Regrettably, some districts are more successful at doing so than others.
2014-15 District Expenditures and Student Performance
|
School District |
Operating |
Capital |
Total Per Pupil |
Total Per Pupil Expenditures Rank |
EOG Math Grades 3-8 |
EOG Reading Grades 3-8 |
|
STATE TOTAL |
$8,776.00 |
$406.20 |
$9,182.20 |
N/A |
52.2 |
56.3 |
|
Alamance-Burlington |
$8,317.00 |
$175.21 |
$8,492.21 |
101 |
45.1 |
50.7 |
|
Alexander |
$8,435.00 |
$136.90 |
$8,571.90 |
97 |
50.7 |
61.0 |
|
Alleghany |
$11,793.00 |
$318.26 |
$12,111.26 |
11 |
58.0 |
64.7 |
|
Anson |
$10,526.00 |
$182.46 |
$10,708.46 |
29 |
34.3 |
40.3 |
|
Ashe |
$9,846.00 |
$918.97 |
$10,764.97 |
27 |
59.3 |
64.7 |
|
Asheboro |
$8,974.00 |
$248.69 |
$9,222.69 |
73 |
51.9 |
50.3 |
|
Asheville |
$11,260.00 |
$2,143.27 |
$13,403.27 |
4 |
62.4 |
65.8 |
|
Avery |
$11,353.00 |
$364.18 |
$11,717.18 |
16 |
60.7 |
63.3 |
|
Beaufort |
$9,318.00 |
$245.15 |
$9,563.15 |
58 |
47.5 |
51.1 |
|
Bertie |
$12,055.00 |
$260.24 |
$12,315.24 |
10 |
30.4 |
37.1 |
|
Bladen |
$9,380.00 |
$236.68 |
$9,616.68 |
57 |
34.4 |
42.8 |
|
Brunswick |
$9,385.00 |
$454.55 |
$9,839.55 |
50 |
47.0 |
55.3 |
|
Buncombe |
$8,914.00 |
$389.73 |
$9,303.73 |
67 |
57.4 |
60.1 |
|
Burke |
$8,478.00 |
$214.29 |
$8,692.29 |
90 |
57.7 |
62.4 |
|
Cabarrus |
$7,912.00 |
$342.04 |
$8,254.04 |
112 |
55.6 |
61.3 |
|
Caldwell |
$8,819.00 |
$467.35 |
$9,286.35 |
69 |
49.6 |
58.6 |
|
Camden |
$9,206.00 |
$219.29 |
$9,425.29 |
62 |
53.5 |
72.3 |
|
Carteret |
$9,335.00 |
$367.41 |
$9,702.41 |
53 |
60.1 |
67.2 |
|
Caswell |
$9,413.00 |
$255.60 |
$9,668.60 |
54 |
37.1 |
46.2 |
|
Catawba |
$8,405.00 |
$320.97 |
$8,725.97 |
89 |
55.6 |
57.8 |
|
Chapel-Hill/Carrboro |
$11,349.00 |
$1,011.04 |
$12,360.04 |
9 |
73.1 |
76.5 |
|
Charlotte-Mecklenburg |
$8,381.00 |
$104.49 |
$8,485.49 |
102 |
56.9 |
56.4 |
|
Chatham |
$9,650.00 |
$737.09 |
$10,387.09 |
36 |
51.8 |
57.2 |
|
Cherokee |
$9,905.00 |
$267.27 |
$10,172.27 |
43 |
47.9 |
60.8 |
|
Clay |
$10,744.00 |
$207.35 |
$10,951.35 |
23 |
48.3 |
55.6 |
|
Cleveland |
$9,260.00 |
$583.50 |
$9,843.50 |
49 |
52.3 |
58.1 |
|
Clinton |
$8,851.00 |
$140.55 |
$8,991.55 |
85 |
59.2 |
58.1 |
|
Columbus |
$9,252.00 |
$554.47 |
$9,806.47 |
51 |
39.3 |
46.6 |
|
Craven |
$8,357.00 |
$91.85 |
$8,448.85 |
104 |
54.9 |
56.1 |
|
Cumberland |
$8,406.00 |
$281.62 |
$8,687.62 |
91 |
46.5 |
53.9 |
|
Currituck |
$9,241.00 |
$417.25 |
$9,658.25 |
55 |
54.1 |
64.7 |
|
Dare |
$11,005.00 |
$265.06 |
$11,270.06 |
20 |
57.2 |
63.4 |
|
Davidson |
$7,790.00 |
$475.20 |
$8,265.20 |
111 |
55.2 |
57.5 |
|
Davie |
$8,602.00 |
$428.61 |
$9,030.61 |
82 |
59.2 |
62.6 |
|
Duplin |
$8,780.00 |
$245.92 |
$9,025.92 |
83 |
38.0 |
43.3 |
|
Durham |
$10,634.00 |
$1,152.19 |
$11,786.19 |
15 |
39.2 |
43.1 |
|
Edenton-Chowan |
$10,009.00 |
$23.29 |
$10,032.29 |
45 |
45.8 |
52.4 |
|
Edgecombe |
$9,528.00 |
$238.19 |
$9,766.19 |
52 |
30.0 |
31.5 |
|
Elkin |
$9,835.00 |
$853.66 |
$10,688.66 |
30 |
61.4 |
73.0 |
|
Forsyth |
$8,883.00 |
$637.01 |
$9,520.01 |
59 |
49.2 |
52.0 |
|
Franklin |
$8,820.00 |
$829.21 |
$9,649.21 |
56 |
41.4 |
51.0 |
|
Gaston |
$8,069.00 |
$586.25 |
$8,655.25 |
92 |
43.9 |
49.3 |
|
Gates |
$11,244.00 |
$107.17 |
$11,351.17 |
19 |
48.1 |
54.8 |
|
Graham |
$11,857.00 |
$513.82 |
$12,370.82 |
8 |
49.6 |
57.4 |
|
Granville |
$8,809.00 |
$654.89 |
$9,463.89 |
60 |
35.1 |
46.2 |
|
Greene |
$9,725.00 |
$1,112.83 |
$10,837.83 |
25 |
30.5 |
35.9 |
|
Guilford |
$9,372.00 |
$831.42 |
$10,203.42 |
42 |
48.5 |
51.6 |
|
Halifax |
$11,777.00 |
$133.89 |
$11,910.89 |
14 |
30.1 |
34.5 |
|
Harnett |
$7,945.00 |
$254.75 |
$8,199.75 |
113 |
39.8 |
45.5 |
|
Haywood |
$9,281.00 |
$72.57 |
$9,353.57 |
66 |
65.8 |
66.2 |
|
Henderson |
$8,311.00 |
$71.46 |
$8,382.46 |
108 |
65.1 |
66.3 |
|
Hertford |
$10,516.00 |
$290.34 |
$10,806.34 |
26 |
28.5 |
34.9 |
|
Hickory |
$8,321.00 |
$651.07 |
$8,972.07 |
86 |
46.8 |
51.6 |
|
Hoke |
$8,341.00 |
$141.54 |
$8,482.54 |
103 |
45.4 |
45.9 |
|
Hyde |
$17,338.00 |
$274.57 |
$17,612.57 |
1 |
53.0 |
55.3 |
|
Iredell-Statesville |
$8,178.00 |
$216.61 |
$8,394.61 |
107 |
53.2 |
57.8 |
|
Jackson |
$9,503.00 |
$361.17 |
$9,864.17 |
48 |
43.1 |
54.5 |
|
Johnston |
$8,119.00 |
$259.61 |
$8,378.61 |
109 |
52.6 |
59.4 |
|
Jones |
$12,528.00 |
$476.81 |
$13,004.81 |
5 |
47.4 |
56.0 |
|
Kannapolis |
$8,740.00 |
$496.32 |
$9,236.32 |
72 |
36.2 |
43.1 |
|
Lee |
$8,276.00 |
$318.30 |
$8,594.30 |
95 |
49.1 |
50.3 |
|
Lenoir |
$8,916.00 |
$136.97 |
$9,052.97 |
80 |
33.3 |
44.5 |
|
Lexington |
$9,725.00 |
$501.32 |
$10,226.32 |
39 |
49.3 |
43.8 |
|
Lincoln |
$7,974.00 |
$431.86 |
$8,405.86 |
105 |
61.9 |
63.8 |
|
Macon |
$9,020.00 |
$991.59 |
$10,011.59 |
46 |
48.9 |
58.2 |
|
Madison |
$9,805.00 |
$296.22 |
$10,101.22 |
44 |
57.0 |
62.2 |
|
Martin |
$10,797.00 |
$331.46 |
$11,128.46 |
21 |
33.7 |
44.6 |
|
McDowell |
$9,105.00 |
$345.02 |
$9,450.02 |
61 |
45.8 |
55.7 |
|
Mitchell |
$10,287.00 |
$431.31 |
$10,718.31 |
28 |
50.2 |
59.2 |
|
Montgomery |
$10,221.00 |
$33.32 |
$10,254.32 |
38 |
46.0 |
44.8 |
|
Moore |
$8,442.00 |
$89.12 |
$8,531.12 |
100 |
54.4 |
62.2 |
|
Mooresville |
$8,465.00 |
$295.52 |
$8,760.52 |
88 |
67.4 |
68.8 |
|
Mount Airy |
$9,933.00 |
$659.62 |
$10,592.62 |
32 |
62.2 |
61.9 |
|
Nash-Rocky Mount |
$8,576.00 |
$581.42 |
$9,157.42 |
76 |
35.2 |
42.8 |
|
New Hanover |
$9,018.00 |
$343.10 |
$9,361.10 |
65 |
60.3 |
62.1 |
|
Newton-Conover |
$9,029.00 |
$268.27 |
$9,297.27 |
68 |
44.6 |
47.1 |
|
Northampton |
$11,593.00 |
$469.42 |
$12,062.42 |
12 |
21.3 |
30.4 |
|
Onslow |
$8,135.00 |
$139.49 |
$8,274.49 |
110 |
45.3 |
55.2 |
|
Orange |
$10,132.00 |
$531.89 |
$10,663.89 |
31 |
57.0 |
59.6 |
|
Pamlico |
$11,774.00 |
$607.23 |
$12,381.23 |
7 |
46.5 |
52.7 |
|
Pasquotank |
$9,064.00 |
$198.77 |
$9,262.77 |
71 |
40.4 |
48.6 |
|
Pender |
$8,274.00 |
$280.10 |
$8,554.10 |
98 |
53.7 |
56.4 |
|
Perquimans |
$10,636.00 |
$218.70 |
$10,854.70 |
24 |
44.7 |
46.9 |
|
Person |
$8,941.00 |
$200.30 |
$9,141.30 |
77 |
50.5 |
52.9 |
|
Pitt |
$8,382.00 |
$396.85 |
$8,778.85 |
87 |
48.3 |
50.4 |
|
Polk |
$11,595.00 |
$317.85 |
$11,912.85 |
13 |
69.4 |
73.1 |
|
Randolph |
$7,915.00 |
$184.09 |
$8,099.09 |
114 |
48.4 |
50.7 |
|
Richmond |
$8,820.00 |
$398.23 |
$9,218.23 |
74 |
46.7 |
45.6 |
|
Roanoke Rapids |
$9,045.00 |
$368.07 |
$9,413.07 |
63 |
48.4 |
47.8 |
|
Robeson |
$9,074.00 |
$334.58 |
$9,408.58 |
64 |
30.8 |
33.6 |
|
Rockingham |
$8,784.00 |
$330.57 |
$9,114.57 |
78 |
48.6 |
50.2 |
|
Rowan-Salisbury |
$8,502.00 |
$108.66 |
$8,610.66 |
93 |
35.4 |
43.4 |
|
Rutherford |
$9,209.00 |
$73.23 |
$9,282.23 |
70 |
52.1 |
57.8 |
|
Sampson |
$8,864.00 |
$327.91 |
$9,191.91 |
75 |
55.7 |
58.2 |
|
Scotland |
$10,094.00 |
$270.32 |
$10,364.32 |
37 |
48.7 |
50.7 |
|
Stanly |
$8,371.00 |
$221.86 |
$8,592.86 |
96 |
50.3 |
57.4 |
|
Stokes |
$9,361.00 |
$1,129.21 |
$10,490.21 |
34 |
54.6 |
56.5 |
|
Surry |
$7,150.00 |
$196.87 |
$7,346.87 |
115 |
59.2 |
61.2 |
|
Swain |
$11,132.00 |
$430.88 |
$11,562.88 |
18 |
48.8 |
55.5 |
|
Thomasville |
$10,102.00 |
$362.86 |
$10,464.86 |
35 |
46.5 |
37.9 |
|
Transylvania |
$10,418.00 |
$536.46 |
$10,954.46 |
22 |
59.0 |
66.9 |
|
Tyrrell |
$14,787.00 |
$212.86 |
$14,999.86 |
2 |
30.4 |
48.2 |
|
Union |
$8,165.00 |
$234.54 |
$8,399.54 |
106 |
69.8 |
71.1 |
|
Vance |
$9,810.00 |
$90.63 |
$9,900.63 |
47 |
40.2 |
42.6 |
|
Wake |
$8,363.00 |
$673.87 |
$9,036.87 |
81 |
63.2 |
65.7 |
|
Warren |
$11,252.00 |
$360.90 |
$11,612.90 |
17 |
30.2 |
37.9 |
|
Washington |
$12,172.00 |
$267.94 |
$12,439.94 |
6 |
29.7 |
38.6 |
|
Watauga |
$10,030.00 |
$187.96 |
$10,217.96 |
40 |
65.4 |
71.1 |
|
Wayne |
$8,197.00 |
$335.25 |
$8,532.25 |
99 |
40.7 |
46.3 |
|
Weldon |
$13,768.00 |
$349.82 |
$14,117.82 |
3 |
18.0 |
26.8 |
|
Whiteville |
$9,879.00 |
$325.90 |
$10,204.90 |
41 |
53.9 |
54.2 |
|
Wilkes |
$8,677.00 |
$329.02 |
$9,006.02 |
84 |
50.3 |
56.3 |
|
Wilson |
$8,468.00 |
$138.61 |
$8,606.61 |
94 |
40.6 |
48.5 |
|
Yadkin |
$8,938.00 |
$155.65 |
$9,093.65 |
79 |
54.0 |
57.7 |
|
Yancey |
$10,178.00 |
$332.77 |
$10,510.77 |
33 |
62.4 |
63.7 |
Acronym of the Week
PPE — per pupil expenditure
Quote of the Week
"In our survey, we found 116 studies that explored the link between per-pupil spending and student outcomes. Higher spending was associated with higher student performance only 32 percent of the time, after adjusting for student background and other factors mostly or entirely outside the control of schools."
– John Hood and Terry Stoops, "Educational Freedom Works: Scholarly research shows gains from school choice and competition," John Locke Foundation Spotlight Report No. 454, May 20, 2014, p. 4.
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