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Frank JohnsonIn FY 90 (i.e., school year 1989-90), inflation-adjusted total revenues for public elementary and secondary education totaled $292.7 billion in the United States (table 1.a).6 By FY 02, this figure had risen to $419.8 billion,7 an increase of approximately $127 billion, or 43 percent (table 1.b). Nevada experienced the largest increase in total revenues between FY 90 and FY 02 (116 percent) and Alaska the smallest (7 percent). Between FY 90 and FY 02, revenues increased by more than 50 percent in 11 states (Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Texas, Utah, Massachusetts, California, New Mexico, and Colorado).8
Annual percent change from the previous year is one way to look at variations in total revenues over the 13-year period. The annual percent change from the previous year charts the annual rate of change in revenues over the 13-year period. These data provide information regarding the occurrence and the extent of changes in revenues. For example, as illustrated in figure 2-1 and table 1.b, total revenues increased approximately 2 percent each year from FY 90 through FY 95, about 3 percent annually from FY 95 through FY 97, and nearly 5 percent annually from FY 97 through FY 99. From FY 99 through FY 01, total revenues increased over 4 percent each year, and between FY 01 and FY 02 they increased less than 3 percent. Although figure 2-1 indicates a declining rate of change from FY 98 through FY 02, total revenues in constant dollars increased each year.
All but nine states and the District of Columbia experienced at least one decrease in total revenues during the 13-year period.9 These states were Arizona, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Total revenues per pupil in the United States were $7,219 in FY 90 (figure 2-2 and table 1.c). They ranged from a low of $4,271 in Utah to a high of $12,330 in Alaska. By FY 02, total revenues per pupil had increased to $8,810 in the United States. Total revenues per pupil remained lowest in Utah at $5,983, but were highest in New Jersey at $12,900. The District of Columbia received $14,418 per pupil, but is a single urban school district and is not comparable to other states.
Between FY 90 and FY 02, total revenues per pupil increased $1,591, or 22 percent (table 1.d). The largest increase was in Hawaii (53 percent).10 Alaska and Florida were the only two states to experience a decrease in total revenues per pupil between FY 90 and FY 02 (13 percent and 5 percent, respectively). The median percent change in total revenues per pupil among the states and the District of Columbia was 28 percent between FY 90 and FY 02 (derived from table 1.d).11
The annual percent change in national total revenues per pupil fluctuated from 0 percent to 1 percent from FY 90 through FY 97 (figure 2-3 and table 1.d). From FY 97 through FY 2000, total revenues per pupil increased approximately 4 percent each year and between FY 00 and FY 01, they increased 3 percent. Between FY 01 and FY 02, total revenues per pupil increased nearly 2 percent indicating a slight drop in the rate of increase in revenues. The District of Columbia and every state except West Virginia and Wisconsin experienced at least one decrease in total revenues per pupil over the course of the 13-year period.
