Costs of educating our young

Dr. Pournelle:

Jim Lund might want to take a look at this website (feel free to format this in a more useful form, or check my figures):

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/2006menu_tables.asp 

This table describes the cost per student in constant dollars:

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d06/tables/dt06_167.asp 

Note that the costs have gone up by a factor of three since 1963.

(Compare costs per student with the private school numbers in this chart:)

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d06/tables/dt06_056.asp 

Now let's check out the estimated annual teacher salaries, again in constant dollars:

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d06/tables/dt06_075.asp 

In the same period (since 1963), the salaries went from $38,680 to $49,569. A factor of about 1.3. Obviously, the teachers aren't the ones responsible for the tripling of costs.

As one more cherry on the top, note the pupil/teacher ratios, often cited as a problem in modern schools:

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d06/tables/dt06_061.asp 

The ratios have dropped steadily since the 1950s. In fact, they're about half what they were in 1955.

Is there more than a little fat in the current public school system? These statistics aren't absolute proof, but shake the old 8-ball and signs point to yes.

I may have sent you a similar e-mail sometime in the past. If so, my apologies.

Tom Brosz



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