Tuesday, February 04, 2014

How much does your state spend on school instruction vs. school transportation?

For every dollar West Virginia spends on transporting students to and from school it spent $6.92 on instruction, the lowest ratio in the country. Meanwhile, Vermont spends the most on instruction compared to transportation, spending $16.62 on instruction for every dollar it spends on transportation, Rural Policy Matters reports in its January issue. The U.S. average is $11.06.

"Transportation expenditures are largely a function of distance," says Rural Policy Matters, the publication of the Rural School and Community Trust, a lobby for rural schools. "Longer bus routes mean more spending on gas, maintenance, and fleet replacement. West Virginia has a highly consolidated school system, with many counties operating only one school at each grade level, therefore bus routes tend to be lengthy throughout the state. In addition, West Virginia’s mountainous terrain adds to transportation costs." (Read more)

For an interactive map that looks at rural education in each state from the 2011-12 school year, click here.

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