Study: K-12 public spending nears $1 trillion in U.S.

By Esther Wickham

School districts across the country have significantly increased spending since 2020, even as they face steep declines in student enrollment and academic performance, according to a new analysis from the Reason Foundation.

The report finds American public schools are nearing $1 trillion in annual spending, almost a 35% increase between 2002 and 2023. During that period, the average per-student spending rose from $14,969 to $20,322.

The big picture: California stands out as one of the highest-spending states. According to the study, the state now spends $25,941 per student, placing it among the top eight nationally. The sharpest growth has occurred in just the past few years. • Since the pandemic, California’s per-student spending has surged 31.5%, rising from $19,724