Page 1
A Second Look at K-12 Cash:
Updating the Facts about Per-Pupil Spending in Colorado
by Benjamin DeGrow,Education Policy AnalystJune 2008Issue Backgrounder 2008-B
In March 2006, the Independence Institute published an issue backgrounder to provide neededcontext to claims made about the state of K-12 education funding in Colorado. Among theobservations in the report were as follows:
•
A comprehensive analysis of relevant research overwhelmingly showed no link betweeneducation spending and student performance, with several studies even showing anegative relationship
•
From 1992 to 2003, 27 of 42 states with available testing data increased per-pupilspending more than Colorado: of the 27 states, only Delaware also showed greater gainsthan Colorado in 4
th
-grade reading scores
•
Colorado’s real growth in total per-pupil expenditures outpaced most states in the 1970sbut grew less quickly than most states in the 1980s and 1990s, but both Colorado and thenation roughly doubled per-pupil spending between 1970 and 2000Since the initial release of “Counting the Cash,” updated statistical reports have added to theclarifying picture of education funding in Colorado. In terms of
total per-pupil spending
, whichincludes all costs related to elementary and secondary education, Colorado has grown at a paceclose to the national average and retains its 26
th
ranking. Colorado’s
current per-pupilspending
—which excludes costs for capital construction and debt financing—ranks higher byone measure and lower by two others. The gap has grown between the highest and lowestrankings (see table 1).
Table 1. Different Measurements for Colorado Per-Pupil Spending (2005-06)
SourceMeasurementTypeNationalAverage ColoradoColoradoRank
U.S. Department of Education Total $10,615 $9,897 26thU.S. Department of Education Current $9,154 $8,166 35thU.S. Census Bureau Current $9,138 $8,057 36thNational Education Association Current $9,100 $8,861 24th
Search History:
Result 00 of 00
00 results for result for
p.
A Second Look at K-12 Cash: Updating the Facts about Per-Pupil Spending in Colorado
A follow-up to the 2006 report "Counting the Cash", this publication highlights reported statistics to provide needed context to the debate about K-12 education funding.
709
Reads
0
Readcasts
6
Embed Views
Get Scribd Mobile
To get Scribd mobile enter your number and we'll send you a link to the Scribd app for iPhone & Android.We've sent a link to the Scribd app. If you didn't receive it, try again.
We'll never share your phone number.
More From This User
Notes
Load more
