New data from the Kansas Department of Education shows that school districts averaged $18,324 per student during the 2023-24 school year. That is about a 4% increase over the previous school year and more than inflation of 2.9%.[i]
Many of the 111 districts spending more than $20,000 per student have low enrollment, but not all. USD 500 Kansas City spent $22,297 per student and Salina spent $23,402. Great Bend, Independence, McPherson, and Winfield also spent more than $20,000 per student.
Not surprisingly, Administration expenses increased more than Instruction (6.3% vs. 3.3%). Transportation and Food Service also jumped by about 6%.
Spending per student data is available for all school districts at KansasOpenGov.org.
Only half of spending goes to instruction
Following a 2005 court-ordered funding increase, the Legislature passed a public policy resolution calling on school districts to allocate 65% of total spending to Instruction as defined by KSDE. At the time, 54.2% of total spending went to Instruction.
School districts ignored the Legislature, however, never allocating more than 55% to Instruction. Last year, it was only 53.2%.
Had school districts allocated 65% of spending to Instruction since 2005, there would have been $13.2 billion more spent on direct interactions between teachers and students.
Increasing the Instruction allocation does not guarantee better outcomes. Still, it is worth noting that while districts decline to reallocate resources, proficiency levels remain unacceptably low and college readiness (ACT) plummeted from 32% in 2015 to just 18% last year.
This is yet another example of why student outcomes can’t change until adult behaviors change.
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[i] Consumer price index for Midwest cities on a fiscal year basis.
