2015 Financial Condition Report

For Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2015

Elementary and Secondary Education

2015 Financial Condition Report
For Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2015

New York State Ranks Highest in Nation in Per Pupil Spending

  • For the 2012-13 school year,* New York State was the highest among the states in per pupil expenditures for public elementary and secondary education at $19,818, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This amount is:
    • an increase of 1.4 percent from the previous year; and
    • 85.2 percent higher than the national average of $10,700 per pupil.
  • Over the five years prior to 2012-13, annual per pupil spending has increased an average of 2.3 percent in New York State, compared to 0.5 percent for the nation.
Per Pupil Education Spending

Local Governments Represent the Largest Source of Funding

  • In 2013-14, support for public elementary and secondary schools came from the following sources:
    • State, $24.9 billion, including the School Tax Relief Program (STAR) of $3.3 billion;
    • local, $35.2 billion; and
    • federal, $2.5 billion.
  • In school budgets proposed for the 2015-16 school year, property tax levy increases averaged 1.6 percent, which is lower than the:
    • 1.9 percent average increase last year; and
    • 2.8 percent average annual increase from 2011 to 2015.
Federal, State and Local Funding for Elementary and Secondary Schools

*Most recent available year.