If you want to start a debate in the Georgia Legislature, ask this question: Are we spending enough on our schools? That topic comes up every year, and there is spirited discussion about how much money flows to education and whether it’s enough.
According to a new U.S. Census report, Georgia ranks 38th in school spending.
Georgia spends less than the national average. In 2014, Georgia spent $9,202 per pupil, nearly $2,000 below than the national average of $11,009. New York leads the nation, spending $20,610 per student, 87 percent above the national average. At the other end, Utah spends $6,500.
Should we spend more? Will that yield better results?
Some education advocates say we should. "Money matters when it comes to student achievement, especially for low-income students. More than 60 percent of Georgia's students are low-income, the fifth highest percentage in the nation," says Claire Suggs, senior education policy analyst for the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute.
To read more and join the debate, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog.
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