ALBANY— New York's per-pupil spending in 2006-2007 was the highest in the nation, 65 percent above the national average, according to data released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The data shows New York had the highest per-pupil total in the nation at $15,981 in 2006-2007 -- 65 percent above the national average of $9,666. The state's per-pupil spending in several key categories was also the highest, including its spending on instructional (teacher) salaries, which was 81 percent above the national average at $7,229. The state also spent $2,980 on teacher employee benefits -- a whopping 127 percent above the national average that year.
The data also shows that:
New York's schools collected more than $18,000 in revenue per pupil in 2006-2007. The bulk of that revenue came from local sources. The state's schools collected $8,875 from local sources that year --75 percent above the national average and the third highest in the nation. And despite critics claims that New York state lags the nation in state-provided school support, schools collected $8,293 per pupil in 2006-2007 -- the fifth highest per-pupil amount in the nation and more than 50 percent above the national average.
New York spent $37.16 on schools for every $1,000 of personal income in the 2006-2007 school year. That was the highest in the nation and 42 percent above the national average that year. And the state collected more than $5,100 per pupil in property taxes that year -- the fifth highest per-pupil property tax collection in the nation and 60 percent above the national average.
The tables showing the latest school spending and revenue figures for New York and other states are available on The Public Policy Institute's Just the Facts, an online compendium of data on key economic figures.
The Census Bureau report is available here.
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