Idaho Still at Bottom of List for How Much is Spent on Students

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Idaho remains at the bottom of public education spending. The Spokesman-Review reports that Idaho spent about $6,800 per student for the 2010-2011 school year.

Only Utah spent less, at roughly $6,200 per student. It's the third straight year that Idaho has ranked second-to-last on the list. Neighboring Washington state ranked 30th, spending nearly $9,500 per student. But that was still below the national average of $10,560.

The national average dropped slightly from the previous year, marking the first time the per-student spending average has decreased since the Census Bureau began collecting data in 1977. Property taxes were a major source of public school funding nationwide, accounting for more than 65 percent of revenue from local sources.