US K-12 spending nears $1T despite enrollment drop; CA leads states

(The Center Square) - 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. 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 in 2020 to its current level. Since 2020, California public schools have lost 318,532 students, a trend that education experts say raises serious questions about how resources are being used. Lance Izumi, senior directo