Jun. 17, 9:00 AM
The Education Interim Committee of the State Legislature holds a public meeting.
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Feb. 23 - Mar. 22
Comcast Newsmakers interviews Robyn Bagley about www.Utah-EducationFacts.com
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Mar. 12
The 2009 Legislative Session concluded on Thursday, March 12th at midnight
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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark report, A Nation at Risk.
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In the 2007-08 school year, Utah spent $8,224 per public school student.
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Charter schools are independent public schools run by parents or non-profits.
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The average class size in Utah is 22.2
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High school students can graduate with an associate's degree and a scholarship worth 75% of college tuition.
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Get the Facts Spending Total Spending
In the 2007-08 school year (the most recent school year for which actual spending figures are available), Utah spent $4.42 billion on K-12 education. This amounts to $8,224 per public school student. As the graph below shows, the amount that Utah spends on K-12 education has consistently increased over the decades due to an increasing student population and increased spending per student.
Utah's Total K-12 Budget, 1970 - 2008
Utah Taxpayers Association1
| Fiscal Year | Total Spending | Annual Change | Per Student Spending | Average Class Size |
| 2008 | $4.42 Billion | +20.40% | $8,224 | -- |
| 2007 | $3.67 Billion | +10.89% | $7,009 | 22.2 |
| 2006 | $3.31 Billion | +5.91% | $6,529 | 22.1 |
| 2005 | $3.13 Billion | +6.60% | $6,309 | 22.6 |
| 2004 | $2.93 Billion | +4.34% | $6,144 | 22.4 |
| 2003 | $2.81 Billion | +0.88% | $5,980 | 21.8 |
| 2002 | $2.79 Billion | +8.27% | $5,955 | 21.8 |
| 2001 | $2.57 Billion | +5.89% | $5,522 | 21.9 |
| 2000 | $2.43 Billion | +1.48% | $5,199 | -- |
| 1999 | $2.40 Billion | +5.32% | $4,955 | -- |
| 1998 | $2.74 Billion | +5.53% | $4,853 | -- |
| 1997 | $2.16 Billion | -1.35% | $4,601 | -- |
| 1996 | $2.18 Billion | +12.54% | $4,488 | -- |
| 1995 | $1.94 Billion | +10.34% | $4,110 | -- |
| 1994 | $1.76 Billion | +4.70% | $3,751 | -- |
| 1993 | $1.68 Billion | +11.23% | $3,638 | -- |
| 1992 | $1.51 Billion | +6.36% | $3,319 | -- |
| 1991 | $1.42 Billion | +10.67% | $3,187 | -- |
| 1990 | $1.28 Billion | +2.88% | $2,941 | -- |
| 1989 | $1.25 Billion | +9.35% | $2,898 | -- |
| 1988 | $1.14 Billion | +1.48% | $2,691 | -- |
| 1987 | $1.12 Billion | -- | $2,726 | -- |
| 1980 | $696 Million | -- | $2,084 | -- |
| 1970 | $211 Million | -- | $691 | -- |
| 1960 | $99 Million | -- | $429 | -- |
| 1950 | $34 Million | -- | $221 | -- |
| 1940 | $13 Million | -- | $100 | -- |
| 1930 | $12 Million | -- | $97 | -- |
Or use one of the websites below to look up school district spending data:
*It should be noted that although charter schools currently spend more per student than school districts, most of the difference is in school construction costs. Nearly half of public school enrollment growth is absorbed by charter schools even though they represent a small fraction of the total public schools in Utah. This means that charter schools are incurring a disproportionate share of new building construction costs.
Spending on Utah's K-12 education system is the largest single expenditure in the state budget. In the current Fiscal Year (or FY2009, which begins July 1, 2008 and ends June 30, 2009), K-12 education will receive 47.6% of state tax dollars equaling $2.56 billion. This figure does not include the local or federal taxes that also go towards K-12 education.
Where State Tax Dollars Go, 2008-09
Governor's Office of Planning & Budget2
Where State Tax Dollars Come From, 2008-09
Governor's Office of Planning & Budget2
Notes:
