Public school spending per student hit record highs in the U.S. in 2024, and Pennsylvania’s levels topped most other states, according to new federal data.
The Keystone State spent an average of $21,091 per pupil that year, the 12th-highest rate in the United States and about $3,500 ahead of the national average, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on May 7.
Still, the commonwealth lagged behind many of its counterparts in the Northeast, which accounted for seven of the 10 highest-spending states in the nation. New York led the pack, with education funding that broke down to $31,918 per child.
The census agency collected the data through its yearly national survey of school district finances.
The top-spending states:
- New York, $31,918
- District of Columbia, $31,529
- Vermont, $28,818
- New Jersey, $27,234
- Connecticut, $26,316.
The lowest-spending states:
- Idaho, $11,060
- Utah, $11,347
- Arizona, $12,003
- Oklahoma, $12,162
- Mississippi, $12,324.
Debate has raged around Pa. schools funding
Pennsylvania’s education funding structure has been the center of controversy over the years, culminating in a court ruling that deemed the system unconstitutional because of the resource disparities between high- and low-wealth districts.
In the 2023-24 school year, the Forest Area School District was spending more than $36,500 per student, while the Wilkes-Barre Area School District was spending $13,565, according to the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
In response to the court decision, state leaders have embarked on a multiyear plan to close this $4.5 billion funding gap between districts.
