Five Facts About Education Funding 2014-2015

Five Facts About Education Funding 2014-2015
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Five Facts About Education Funding 2014-2015

School funding is often discussed without reference to actual data. The Freedom Foundation has assembled facts from state resources to give documented answers to common questions about school funding.

Because data about resources provided in schools lags by nearly a year,  2014-15 is the most recent school year for which data is available. It is worth noting that the state budget adopted for the current 2015-16 school year includes another significant increase in funding for public schools.

Since the 2012 McCleary decision, state K-12 education spending has increased by 34 percent.

One: For operational costs, school districts received an average of $10,938 per student.

Statewide average state, local and federal operating funds per pupil, 2014-2015

Fund Source 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015
Local Taxes (levies) $1,935 $2,014 $2,039 $2,122
Local Non-tax $331 $335 $330 $331
State General Apportionment (specified staff per 1,000 students and payroll) $5,320 $5,348 $5,721 $5,955
State Special Purpose (special education, English language learning, poverty) $1,202 $1,235 $1,418 $1,551
Federal General purpose $54 $52 $46 $51
Federal Special purpose (poverty, special education) $885 $837 $800 $804
Other $88 $99 $111 $124
Total $9,816 $9,920 $10,465 $10,938

Source:

Two: For buildings and operations, school districts received an average of $15,105 per student.

Funding per pupil from all funds for operating and capital

Year Total
2009-2010 $12,450
2010-2011 $12,664
2011-2012 $13,098
2012-2013 $13,586
2013-2014 $13,871
2014-2015 $15,105

Source:

Three: Average teacher pay is $66,064 plus benefits averaging $9,513.

Average Statewide Compensation

Certificated Instructional Employees 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015
Average state-paid certificated instructional employee salary per FTE $52,260 $52,256 $52,996 $52,525
Levy-funded additional salary per FTE $11,978 $12,406 $12,676 $13,539
Total Average Salary $64,238 $64,662 $65,672 $66,064
Insurance benefits per FTE (health benefits $768 per month) $9,216 $9,216 $9,216 $9,216
Mandatory benefits (social security, etc.) $9,608 $9,763 $11,263 $11,448
Administrators        
State actual allocation for administrator salary by district   here here here
Average wage, benefits per FTE; additional salary per individual here here here here
Classified Employees        
State actual allocation by district   here here here
Average wage, benefits per FTE; additional salary per individual   here here here

Note: Because the state uses a mostly uniform salary allocation model, “average salary” varies based upon the number of teachers at the various levels of seniority and education experience. The increases or reductions are commonly due to retirement rates of the highest paid teachers and the hiring rate of beginning teachers.

“FTE” means “Full Time Equivalent” employee

Sources:

Four: School districts have one teacher for every 18 students and one employee for every 9.4 students.

Staff-per-Student Ratios Statewide

  2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015
Students per teacher 18.65 18.52 18.40 18.09
Students per aide 98.91 99.10 96.27 91.95
Total FTE employees 100,449 101,446 103,873 107,405
Total FTE students 984,285 987,757 1,002,609 1,013,525
Total Students per Employee FTEs 9.80 9.74 9.65 9.44

Sources:

Five: The average school levy collection from property owners is $4.26 per $1,000 in assessed value, providing $2,239 per student. District borrowing totals average $14,810 per pupil.

Local Levies

  2012 2013 2014 2015
Statewide average excess general fund (operating) levy rate per $1,000 for schools $2.54 $2.74 $2.66 $2.60
Statewide total levy average rate per $1,000 (Includes general, debt service, transportation & capital) $4.12 $4.44 $4.36 $4.26
Statewide average excess general fund levy funds per student $2,014 $2,089 $2,132 $2,239
Long-term liabilities (debt) per pupil statewide $9,301 $9,363 $9,585 $14,810

Sources:

Other Resources:

Senior Policy Analyst
jlund@freedomfoundation.com
Jami Lund is the Freedom Foundation’s Senior Policy Analyst. From 2004 to 2011, he developed legislative policy as a research analyst for the Washington House Republican Caucus. Prior to that he worked for the Freedom Foundation as the Project Manager for the Teachers Paycheck Protection project, shepherding the development of the Foundation’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court case to protect teacher rights. Jami is an accomplished speaker and researcher, one of Washington state’s top scholars on education policy and finance.