Georgia spends less than the national average on education, appearing near the bottom of the list of states, according to new figures from the U.S. Census.

The report breaks down spending by big school districts, and in metro Atlanta, DeKalb County spent less than most, at $8,847 per pupil, which is less than the state average.

Spending on education is expected to be part of a furious debate during next year’s legislative session, when Gov. Nathan Deal is expected to push changes to Georgia’s decades-old school funding formula, which demands more than the state has been willing to pay.

Does more money buy results? Read what some experts think at myAJC.com.

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Students walk toward the Tate Student Center on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. State data released Tuesday shows that the rate of international students enrolling in Georgia’s public universities dropped dramatically this semester. (Jason Getz/AJC 2024)

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U.S. Rep. Mike Collins' Senate campaign used Sen. Jon Ossoff's Senate portrait (center) to create an AI-generated video of Ossoff talking about his vote not to end the government shutdown.  The video was reposted to Collins' campaign account on X (left). (Screenshot)

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