By Associated Press
Oklahoma City, OK – Report: Oklahoma 49th in education funding
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A national report says Oklahoma ranks 49th among the states and the District of Columbia in per-pupil expenditures but is 27th in the number of students enrolled in public schools.
The annual report was issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. It reflects enrollment and school revenues and expenditures for each state and the District of Columbia as of the 2007-08 school year.
According to the report, Oklahoma spent $7,683 per student during that school year, ahead of only Idaho and Utah. New Jersey topped the list, spending $17,620 per student.
The report says Oklahoma had about 642,000 public school students in fall 2007.
State Superintendent Sandy Garrett says the report confirmed what state education officials already knew regarding per-pupil spending. She says it's notable that Oklahoma ranked 27th in student enrollment, because it indicates that Oklahomans have faith in public schools