Connecticut has the fifth highest per-pupil spending in the country when it comes to K-12 education, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The state spent $17,745 per student in grades kindergarten through high school during fiscal 2014. There were over 511,000 students enrolled in Connecticut schools in 2014, down from over 517,000 in 2013, Census Bureau data shows.
Per-pupil spending for the nation was $11,009 in fiscal 2014, a 2.7 percent increase from 2013. This was the largest increase in per-pupil spending since 2008 when there was a 6.1 percent increase from the year prior. Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, New York spent the highest per pupil, at $20,610, while Utah came in the lowest at $6,500.
Per-pupil spending includes gross school system expenditure for instruction, support services and non-instructional functions including direct expenditure for salaries, employee benefits, student transportation, building maintenance, purchased property and other services and supplies.
Following New York, the highest spending per pupil in 2014 was in the District of Columbia at $18,485, Alaska at $18,416, and New Jersey at $17,907,
Overall, elementary and secondary education revenue were up 3.3 percent nationally in fiscal year 2014, from 2013, amounting to $617.6 billion.
