Chapter 4: Total Support Services Expenditures

In the United States, inflation-adjusted total support services expenditures were $92.2 billion in FY 90 (table 12.a). They had risen to $126.6 billion by FY 02, an increase of $34.4 billion, or 37 percent (table 12.b). Nevada experienced the largest increase in total support services expenditures between FY 90 and FY 02 (106 percent). Alaska and the District of Columbia experienced declines between FY 90 and FY 02, with Alaska having the largest decrease (11 percent).

The annual percent change in these expenditures ranged between 1 and 2 percent from FY 90 through FY 96 and from 3 to 5 percent from FY 96 through FY 01; it was 6 percent between FY 01 and FY 02 (figure 4-3).

• View Figure 4.3

Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, all but Arizona, Idaho, Texas and Wisconsin experienced at least one annual percent decrease in total support services expenditures from FY 90 through FY 02.

Total support services expenditures per pupil

Between FY 90 and FY 02, inflation-adjusted total support services expenditures per pupil increased from $2,274 to $2,657 (table 12.c) in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In FY 90, total support services expenditures per pupil ranged from a low of $1,049 in Utah to a high of $4,993 in Alaska. Total support services expenditures per pupil were $5,715 in the District of Columbia. By FY 02, total support services expenditures per pupil remained lowest in Utah at $1,435, but were highest in New Jersey at $4,454. Total support services expenditures per pupil for the District of Columbia were $5,726.²⁸

Between FY 90 and FY 02, total support services expenditures per pupil increased $383, or 17 percent (table 12.d). Idaho experienced the largest increase (56 percent); Alaska experienced the largest decrease (27 percent). Among the states, the median percent change in total support services expenditure per pupil between FY 90 and FY 02 was 22 percent (derived from table 12.d).

From FY 90 through FY 97, total support services expenditures per pupil ranged from a 1 percent decline to a 1 percent increase annually (figure 4-4). From FY 97 through FY 02, the annual percent change fluctuated between 3 and 4 percent annually.

• View Figure 4.4

Percentage of current expenditures: Total support services expenditures

Total support services expenditures represented 35 percent of current expenditures in FY 90 (table 12.e). In FY 02, they represented 34 percent of current expenditures.

In FY 90, support services expenditures accounted for the lowest percentage of current expenditures in Tennessee at 28 percent and the highest percentage in Alaska at 47 percent. The percentage for the District of Columbia was at 52 percent.²⁹ By FY 02, the percentage of support services expenditures was lowest in New York and Utah at 29 percent and highest in Michigan and New Mexico at 40 percent. The percentage for the District of Columbia was 47 percent.

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