Catawba county schools|catawba county schools job openings|Library:Approximately 37 percent of the North Carolina state budget is devoted to K-12 public education. This year North Carolina will spend approximately $7.1 billion on public elementary and secondary schools, the single biggest expenditure in the state budget. While North Carolina taxpayers have certainly demonstrated strong support for education, citizens also have a right to expect our children are learning the skills they need to earn a living and to contribute to society. One fundamental question that emerges out of this discussion is; how much does it cost to educate one high school graduate?
This report answers that question. It found the costs to educate a high school graduate vary depending on where you live. Costs range from a high of $265,395 (Tyrrell County Schools) to a low of $100,736 (Randolph County). On average, it cost North Carolinians $142,027 to educate one student through high school.
Methodology
To find the cost to produce one high school graduate, this study gathered data on annual average per student local, state and federal expenditures for the years 1996-97 through 2008-09.1 The per student cost figures used in this study reflect normal operating expenses only. Figures do not include the costs of federal school lunch programs, capital expenses, debt service, equipment purchases, transportation costs or the costs of community service programs. Adding in these costs can typically increase per pupil spending by nearly 25 percent2 Thirteen years of data were chosen to reflect K-12 education costs3. Totals for each LEA were compiled and then adjusted for inflation.4 Annual expenditure totals were then divided by the 2008-09 graduation rate to reflect the costs associated with students who are in school but fail to graduate. According to Department of Public Instruction data, 71.8 percent of ninth grade students who enrolled as freshman in 2005-06, graduated four years later in 2008-09.5
Results
Table I lists LEAs by range of spending on high school graduates for 115 LEAs in North Carolina. According to the data, 48 out of 115 LEAs or 42 percent of all LEAs spend between $125,000 - $150,000 to educate a high school graduate. Two other categories ($100K-$125K and $150K-$175K) each garnered about 25 percent of LEAs. Two LEAs spent over $200,000 per high school diploma.
Table II provides a list of high school diploma costs by local education agency. Costs are in 2008 dollars. Analysis shows the five LEAs that spent the most per high school graduate include: Tyrell County Schools, ($265,395); Hyde County Schools ($220,442); Halifax County ($197,297); Jones County Schools ($192,664) and Asheville City Schools ($185,356).
Conversely, the five districts that spent the least to educate a high school graduate include: Randolph County Schools ($100,736), Catawba County Schools ($104,343), Union County Public Schools, ($106,091), Iredell-Statesville Schools ($107,899) and Alexander County Schools ($108,661). According to the data, the state average for educating a high school graduate is $144,550.
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