Utah Foundation’s Vice President Shawn Teigen says this research is timely because this year some major decisions are being made regarding education spending. Along with Utah’s budget, there’s the Our Schools Now initiative that could increase taxes statewide.
Take the number that’s often thrown around, “second.” As in, when it comes to per pupil funding, Utah is the second lowest spender in the country.
“What does it tell us?” Teigen asks. “If we don’t move up or down if we’re always just the lowest, it doesn’t really inform where the money goes that is currently being spent.”
The numbers that Teigen and his team released today organize a more in-depth view of state spending. For instance, despite the low national ranking, the allotted amount for K-12 education makes up 23 percent of the entire state budget.
