Getting an Education - The Cost Of Public Education

The average annual expenditure per student in the public school system in constant 2001–02 dollars more than doubled between 1970 and 2002, from $3,849 per pupil in 1969–70 to $8,048 per pupil during the 2001–02 school year. (See Figure 6.1.) Each year, when the federal budget is determined in Washington, D.C., the battle over the education budget is fierce. Public school officials and teachers stress the importance of investing in the public education system, arguing that more money will provide more teachers, educational materials, and—eventually—a better education. They point to school buildings in need of repair and classes that meet in hallways and other cramped areas because of a lack of space. Opponents of increasing public school funding say that more money does not availacreate a better education—better teachers do. To support their argument they point to the increase in spending per pupil while some measurements of academic achievement remain low.