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Digest of Education Statistics
2013 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 236.20. Total expenditures for public elementary and secondary education and other related programs, by function and subfunction: Selected years, 1990-91 through 2010-11
Function and subfunction Expenditures (in thousands of current dollars) Percentage distribution of
current expenditures for public schools
1990-91 1995-96 2000-01 2005-06 2007-08 2008-09 2009-101 2010-11 1990-91 1995-96 2000-01 2005-06 2007-08 2008-09 2009-101 2010-11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Total expenditures $229,429,715   $293,646,490 $410,811,185 $528,268,772 $597,313,726 $610,326,007 $607,018,292 $604,214,912
Current expenditures for
     public schools
202,037,752   255,106,683 348,360,841 449,131,342 506,884,219 518,922,842 524,715,242 527,166,106 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
                                   
Salaries 132,730,931 2 165,806,160 224,305,806 273,142,308 304,021,671 312,552,150 314,037,286 311,352,741 65.70 64.99 64.39 60.82 59.98 60.23 59.85 59.06
Employee benefits 33,954,456 2 44,786,697 57,976,490 87,888,909 103,012,045 105,667,462 108,475,595 111,594,203 16.81 17.56 16.64 19.57 20.32 20.36 20.67 21.17
Purchased services 16,380,643 2 21,579,562 31,778,754 43,195,665 49,206,425 50,715,562 51,969,406 53,560,971 8.11 8.46 9.12 9.62 9.71 9.77 9.90 10.16
Tuition 1,192,505 2 1,590,468 2,458,366 3,828,079 4,574,030 4,492,060 4,749,301 4,988,203 0.59 0.62 0.71 0.85 0.90 0.87 0.91 0.95
Supplies 14,805,956 2 18,756,157 28,262,078 36,637,037 41,362,823 40,629,203 40,334,985 40,553,565 7.33 7.35 8.11 8.16 8.16 7.83 7.69 7.69
Other 2,973,261 2 2,587,639 3,579,347 4,439,345 4,707,226 4,866,404 5,148,668 5,116,424 1.47 1.01 1.03 0.99 0.93 0.94 0.98 0.97
                                   
Instruction 122,223,362   157,473,978 214,333,003 273,760,798 308,238,664 316,075,710 321,213,401 322,492,844 60.50 61.73 61.53 60.95 60.81 60.91 61.22 61.17
Salaries 90,742,284   114,580,985 154,512,089 186,905,065 206,688,984 212,963,123 214,435,825 212,849,042 44.91 44.91 44.35 41.61 40.78 41.04 40.87 40.38
Employee benefits 22,347,524   30,299,566 39,522,678 59,032,817 69,275,522 71,029,220 73,051,571 75,211,035 11.06 11.88 11.35 13.14 13.67 13.69 13.92 14.27
Purchased services 2,722,639   3,825,111 6,430,708 10,083,561 12,246,282 12,782,555 13,843,875 14,692,931 1.35 1.50 1.85 2.25 2.42 2.46 2.64 2.79
Tuition 1,192,505   1,590,468 2,458,366 3,828,079 4,574,030 4,492,060 4,749,301 4,988,203 0.59 0.62 0.71 0.85 0.90 0.87 0.91 0.95
Supplies 4,584,754   6,513,488 10,377,554 12,731,138 14,145,041 13,421,846 13,689,672 13,280,584 2.27 2.55 2.98 2.83 2.79 2.59 2.61 2.52
Textbooks   2,537,332 2,720,526 2,934,200 2,547,273 2,324,846 0.56 0.54 0.57 0.49 0.44
Other 633,656   664,360 1,031,608 1,180,138 1,308,805 1,386,906 1,443,155 1,471,049 0.31 0.26 0.30 0.26 0.26 0.27 0.28 0.28
                                   
Student support3 8,926,010   12,266,136 17,292,756 23,336,224 27,492,686 28,533,413 29,134,124 29,345,585 4.42 4.81 4.96 5.20 5.42 5.50 5.55 5.57
Salaries 6,565,965   8,885,707 12,354,464 15,833,312 18,327,236 19,109,617 19,397,151 19,351,299 3.25 3.48 3.55 3.53 3.62 3.68 3.70 3.67
Employee benefits 1,660,082   2,307,480 3,036,037 4,859,310 5,914,825 6,145,103 6,337,026 6,529,524 0.82 0.90 0.87 1.08 1.17 1.18 1.21 1.24
Purchased services 455,996   687,300 1,328,600 1,958,934 2,382,679 2,414,847 2,490,533 2,581,843 0.23 0.27 0.38 0.44 0.47 0.47 0.47 0.49
Supplies 191,482   247,262 421,838 497,201 537,295 525,459 544,965 521,323 0.09 0.10 0.12 0.11 0.11 0.10 0.10 0.10
Other 52,485   138,387 151,817 187,468 330,652 338,387 364,449 361,597 0.03 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07
                                   
Instructional staff                                  
services4 8,467,142   10,070,241 15,926,856 21,923,223 25,364,532 25,018,199 25,108,146 24,873,764 4.19 3.95 4.57 4.88 5.00 4.82 4.79 4.72
Salaries 5,560,129   6,418,530 9,790,767 13,005,332 15,212,248 14,962,194 14,827,754 14,476,694 2.75 2.52 2.81 2.90 3.00 2.88 2.83 2.75
Employee benefits 1,408,217   1,719,377 2,356,440 3,898,171 4,686,748 4,746,650 4,835,699 4,929,031 0.70 0.67 0.68 0.87 0.92 0.91 0.92 0.94
Purchased services 622,487   925,403 2,003,598 2,944,703 3,300,159 3,256,725 3,379,483 3,438,283 0.31 0.36 0.58 0.66 0.65 0.63 0.64 0.65
Supplies 776,863   918,189 1,566,954 1,867,878 1,957,097 1,834,852 1,838,108 1,810,666 0.38 0.36 0.45 0.42 0.39 0.35 0.35 0.34
Other 99,445   88,743 209,097 207,139 208,280 217,778 227,101 219,090 0.05 0.03 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04
                                   
General administration 5,791,253   5,878,493 7,108,291 8,920,041 9,866,659 10,202,846 10,421,207 10,489,229 2.87 2.30 2.04 1.99 1.95 1.97 1.99 1.99
Salaries 2,603,562   2,901,172 3,351,554 3,860,883 4,294,513 4,420,788 4,452,059 4,398,804 1.29 1.14 0.96 0.86 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.83
Employee benefits 777,381   828,483 1,000,698 1,479,556 1,682,009 1,747,378 1,801,413 1,855,496 0.38 0.32 0.29 0.33 0.33 0.34 0.34 0.35
Purchased services 1,482,427   1,626,178 2,099,032 2,735,714 2,975,038 3,174,832 3,145,503 3,235,740 0.73 0.64 0.60 0.61 0.59 0.61 0.60 0.61
Supplies 172,898   185,831 206,137 225,230 241,979 230,822 233,729 228,269 0.09 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.04
Other 754,985   336,828 450,870 618,657 673,120 629,025 788,501 770,920 0.37 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.15 0.15
                                   
School administration 11,695,344   14,831,159 19,580,890 25,277,042 28,336,682 28,608,480 28,551,493 28,609,366 5.79 5.81 5.62 5.63 5.59 5.51 5.44 5.43
Salaries 8,935,903   11,156,460 14,817,213 18,181,910 20,180,936 20,521,736 20,351,317 20,180,107 4.42 4.37 4.25 4.05 3.98 3.95 3.88 3.83
Employee benefits 2,257,783   2,963,991 3,689,689 5,622,342 6,554,820 6,600,069 6,722,417 6,934,947 1.12 1.16 1.06 1.25 1.29 1.27 1.28 1.32
Purchased services 247,750   384,908 611,638 862,664 973,499 934,243 931,494 931,680 0.12 0.15 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.18 0.18 0.18
Supplies 189,711   256,857 369,257 474,816 484,491 430,083 419,531 425,341 0.09 0.10 0.11 0.11 0.10 0.08 0.08 0.08
Other 64,197   68,943 93,093 135,311 142,936 122,349 126,734 137,292 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.03
                                   
Operation and maintenance 21,290,655   25,724,062 34,034,158 44,313,835 49,362,661 50,559,027 50,023,919 50,182,060 10.54 10.08 9.77 9.87 9.74 9.74 9.53 9.52
Salaries 8,849,559   10,454,854 13,461,242 16,021,701 17,656,583 18,045,474 17,956,826 17,592,194 4.38 4.10 3.86 3.57 3.48 3.48 3.42 3.34
Employee benefits 2,633,075   3,129,632 3,778,520 5,840,665 6,701,757 6,881,875 7,040,412 7,182,924 1.30 1.23 1.08 1.30 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.36
Purchased services 5,721,125   7,698,704 9,642,217 11,913,734 13,051,419 13,150,025 13,095,871 13,342,592 2.83 3.02 2.77 2.65 2.57 2.53 2.50 2.53
Supplies 3,761,738   4,214,201 6,871,845 10,147,971 11,508,237 12,043,690 11,483,968 11,611,477 1.86 1.65 1.97 2.26 2.27 2.32 2.19 2.20
Other 325,157   226,670 280,334 389,764 444,665 437,964 446,842 452,873 0.16 0.09 0.08 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.09 0.09
                                   
Student transportation 8,678,954   10,396,426 14,052,654 18,850,234 21,536,978 21,679,876 21,819,304 22,345,048 4.30 4.08 4.03 4.20 4.25 4.18 4.16 4.24
Salaries 3,285,127   3,933,969 5,406,092 6,701,455 7,507,100 7,591,289 7,633,213 7,550,253 1.63 1.54 1.55 1.49 1.48 1.46 1.45 1.43
Employee benefits 892,985   1,207,961 1,592,127 2,535,296 2,867,686 2,933,989 3,048,962 3,133,600 0.44 0.47 0.46 0.56 0.57 0.57 0.58 0.59
Purchased services 3,345,232   4,257,805 5,767,462 7,547,730 8,556,631 9,001,837 8,982,432 9,152,708 1.66 1.67 1.66 1.68 1.69 1.73 1.71 1.74
Supplies 961,447   836,450 1,159,350 1,867,495 2,427,117 1,983,454 1,967,717 2,319,491 0.48 0.33 0.33 0.42 0.48 0.38 0.38 0.44
Other 194,163   160,239 127,623 198,259 178,444 169,307 186,979 188,997 0.10 0.06 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.04
                                   
Other support services5 5,587,837   7,039,408 11,439,134 14,463,815 16,310,815 17,187,109 17,189,474 17,172,420 2.77 2.76 3.28 3.22 3.22 3.31 3.28 3.26
Salaries 2,900,394   3,450,836 5,521,381 6,577,129 7,517,159 8,091,102 8,162,557 8,134,057 1.44 1.35 1.58 1.46 1.48 1.56 1.56 1.54
Employee benefits 980,859   1,182,229 1,594,540 2,483,366 2,982,979 3,148,252 3,136,979 3,227,910 0.49 0.46 0.46 0.55 0.59 0.61 0.60 0.61
Purchased services 798,922   1,362,961 2,783,176 3,455,292 3,778,311 3,928,346 3,915,823 3,875,454 0.40 0.53 0.80 0.77 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.74
Supplies 294,527   398,534 626,889 793,997 988,542 884,381 852,467 875,929 0.15 0.16 0.18 0.18 0.20 0.17 0.16 0.17
Other 613,135   644,849 913,148 1,154,031 1,043,824 1,135,027 1,121,648 1,059,070 0.30 0.25 0.26 0.26 0.21 0.22 0.21 0.20
                                   
Food services 8,430,490   10,648,844 13,816,635 17,263,582 19,190,249 19,794,945 19,996,995 20,394,757 4.17 4.17 3.97 3.84 3.79 3.81 3.81 3.87
Salaries   3,844,285 4,966,092 5,841,522 6,332,680 6,505,821 6,483,443 6,482,085 1.51 1.43 1.30 1.25 1.25 1.24 1.23
Employee benefits   1,103,433 1,381,923 2,061,344 2,264,203 2,343,119 2,409,983 2,492,673 0.43 0.40 0.46 0.45 0.45 0.46 0.47
Purchased services   627,902 923,091 1,464,511 1,699,764 1,815,966 1,926,821 2,058,018 0.25 0.26 0.33 0.34 0.35 0.37 0.39
Supplies   4,916,299 6,420,201 7,727,182 8,727,170 8,908,841 8,943,177 9,118,875 1.93 1.84 1.72 1.72 1.72 1.70 1.73
Other   156,924 125,327 169,023 166,431 221,198 233,573 243,105 0.06 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05
                                   
Enterprise operations6 946,705   777,937 776,463 1,022,549 1,184,293 1,263,238 1,257,180 1,261,032 0.47 0.30 0.22 0.23 0.23 0.24 0.24 0.24
Salaries   179,360 124,913 213,999 304,233 341,007 337,140 338,208 0.07 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.06 0.06
Employee benefits   44,545 23,837 76,042 81,496 91,807 91,133 97,063 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02
Purchased services   183,288 189,230 228,823 242,643 256,186 257,570 251,720 0.07 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05
Supplies   269,046 242,052 304,129 345,854 365,775 361,651 361,612 0.11 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07
Other   101,697 196,430 199,556 210,068 208,463 209,686 212,430 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04
                                   
Current expenditures for
     other programs
3,295,717   4,724,659 6,063,700 7,415,575 8,307,720 8,463,793 8,355,761 8,187,042
Community services 964,370   1,728,669 2,426,189 3,015,207 3,289,736 3,364,620 3,398,025 3,295,371
Private school programs 527,609   781,148 1,026,695 1,389,204 1,564,201 1,541,922 1,423,681 1,427,539
Adult education 1,365,523   1,500,438 1,838,265 2,001,459 2,148,351 2,187,628 2,084,477 2,013,156
Community colleges 5,356   7,746 351 0 32,694 33,303 33,274 34,045
Other 432,858   706,657 772,200 1,009,704 1,272,738 1,336,321 1,416,305 1,416,931
                                   
Capital outlay7 19,771,478   27,555,667 46,220,704 57,375,299 66,426,299 65,890,367 56,714,992 50,927,540
Public schools 19,655,496   27,457,489 46,078,494 57,281,425 66,331,738 65,799,088 56,621,337 50,847,585
Other current expenditures 115,982   98,179 142,210 93,874 94,561 91,279 93,655 79,955
                                   
Interest on school debt 4,324,768   6,259,480 10,165,940 14,346,556 15,695,488 17,049,004 17,232,297 17,934,224
—Not available.
†Not applicable.  
1 Data have been revised from previously published figures.
2 Includes estimated data for subfunctions of food services and enterprise operations.
3 Includes expenditures for guidance, health, attendance, and speech pathology services.
4 Includes expenditures for curriculum development, staff training, libraries, and media and computer centers.
5 Includes business support services concerned with paying, transporting, exchanging, and maintaining goods and services for local education agencies; central support services, including planning, research, evaluation, information, staff, and data processing services; and other support services.
6 Includes expenditures for operations funded by sales of products or services (e.g., school bookstore or computer time). Includes very small amounts for direct program support made by state education agencies for local school districts.
7 Includes expenditures for property and for buildings and alterations completed by school district staff or contractors.
NOTE: Excludes expenditures for state education agencies. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "National Public Education Financial Survey," 1990-91 through 2010-11. (This table was prepared July 2013.)

2013 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest