Public School Per-Student Spending Increases

If the quality of public schools can be measured by the amount of money spent per student, then U.S. students should be performing fabulously.

The national average in fiscal year 2009 was $10,499, a 2.3 percent increase over the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, citing data from Public Education: 2009.

Some states spent way above the national average, starting with New York, which spent $18,126 per student. Other top spenders include Washington ($16,408), New Jersey ($16,271), Alaska ($15,552), and Vermont ($15,175).

The states that spent the least amount per student were Utah ($6,356), Idaho, ($7,092), Arizona ($7,813), Oklahoma ($7,885) and Tennessee ($7,897).

In Utah, the lowest per-student spending state, 21 percent of schools failed to meet the goals set under that federal education law. In New York, the highest per-student spending state, 38 percent of schools fell short.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/26/public-school-student-spending-increases-state-funding-decreases/#ixzz1NXtDY3pG

And WV teachers want more money, more money, more money ...... claiming that is what is needed to keep WV's schools from failing.