New York State Ranks Highest in Nation in Per Pupil Spending

• For the 2015-16 school year,* New York State was the highest among the states in per pupil expenditures for current public elementary and secondary education at $22,366, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This amount is:
  • An increase of 5.5 percent from the previous year; and
  • 90 percent higher than the national average of $11,762 per pupil.
• Between 2011-12 and 2015-16, per pupil spending has increased an average of 3.5 percent annually in New York State, compared to 2.7 percent for the nation.

Local Resources Represent the Largest Source of Funding

• In 2016-17, support for public elementary and secondary schools came from the following sources:
  • State, $28.1 billion, including the School Tax Relief Program (STAR) of $2.8 billion;
  • Local, $38.1 billion; and
  • Federal, $2.8 billion.
• In school budgets proposed for the 2018-19 school year, property tax levy increases averaged 2.4 percent, which is higher than the:
  • 1.7 percent average increase last year; and
  • 1.4 percent average annual increase from school years 2014-15 through 2018-19.

* Most recent available year.