As a result of federal COVID-19 school relief funding amounting to $192 billion, spending to support public school teachers and students increased. At the same time, student transportation and food expenditures decreased, according to a 2021 survey from the Association of School Business Officials.
National tutoring service HeyTutor analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics to see how the pandemic affected public school spending, tracking expenditures by state between the 2019-20 and 2021-22 academic years.
Nationwide, school spending rose with the additional allocation of federal funding for pandemic relief efforts, including helping students catch up on lessons they lost during school shutdowns or remote learning periods. And the spending appears to have gone largely toward that overall goal, boosting amounts spent on teaching and special education.
Federal COVID-19 relief funding for the schools ends next year. An estimated $90 billion is left for K-12 schools to spend, according to a McKinsey & Company report.
Hawaii was the only state where per-student spending dropped, perhaps in part because the state saw higher-than-average drops in transportation and food service spending.
However, states's exact changes in overall spending varied as did their spending in several different categories, including direct instruction, services to support students—including special education, services to support teachers, transportation, food service, and other costs.
Read on to learn how school administrators around the nation spent the additional money their districts received.
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $16,550, down 1.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $9,997, up 2.6% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,712, down 2.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $520, down 2.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $328, down 15.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $516, up 0.3% from 2019
-Food services: $646, down 22.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $16,589, up 0.2% from 2019
-Instruction: $9,456, down 7.4% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,838, up 104.3% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $659, up 115.0% from 2019
-Student transportation: $756, down 14.2% from 2019
-Other support services: $616, down 9.1% from 2019
-Food services: $449, down 29.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $26,097, up 0.9% from 2019
-Instruction: $17,734, down 0.2% from 2019
-Student support services: $781, down 7.2% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,094, up 44.8% from 2019
-Student transportation: $1,281, down 8.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $990, down 0.8% from 2019
-Food services: $466, down 6.6% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $22,216, up 1.1% from 2019
-Instruction: $13,743, up 1.3% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,681, up 12.4% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $799, up 6.1% from 2019
-Student transportation: $998, down 10.3% from 2019
-Other support services: $736, down 12.5% from 2019
-Food services: $374, down 16.7% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $17,822, up 1.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $11,094, up 2.5% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,108, up 7.9% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $673, up 5.3% from 2019
-Student transportation: $708, down 16.0% from 2019
-Other support services: $759, up 12.2% from 2019
-Food services: $407, down 26.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $11,999, up 1.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,824, up 3.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $856, up 9.6% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $466, down 0.1% from 2019
-Student transportation: $539, down 14.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $284, up 13.0% from 2019
-Food services: $385, down 27.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,728, up 2.2% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,356, up 6.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $800, up 16.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $462, up 6.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $520, down 6.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $283, up 16.4% from 2019
-Food services: $324, down 53.7% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $19,540, up 2.2% from 2019
-Instruction: $10,413, up 2.4% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,496, up 1.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,889, up 18.8% from 2019
-Student transportation: $567, down 12.4% from 2019
-Other support services: $821, up 10.4% from 2019
-Food services: $561, down 7.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,571, up 2.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,410, up 2.9% from 2019
-Student support services: $611, up 15.1% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $664, up 7.6% from 2019
-Student transportation: $363, down 7.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $324, up 10.6% from 2019
-Food services: $476, down 12.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $12,016, up 2.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,177, up 4.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $654, up 11.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $629, up 3.0% from 2019
-Student transportation: $566, down 13.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $348, up 13.9% from 2019
-Food services: $633, down 12.5% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $12,714, up 2.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,560, up 1.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $790, up 6.3% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $813, up 3.6% from 2019
-Student transportation: $413, down 7.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $411, up 9.0% from 2019
-Food services: $520, down 2.6% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $22,784, up 2.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $13,802, up 5.2% from 2019
-Student support services: $2,403, up 2.6% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $947, up 13.8% from 2019
-Student transportation: $758, down 20.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $568, up 5.3% from 2019
-Food services: $348, down 26.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $14,213, up 2.9% from 2019
-Instruction: $9,206, up 3.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $476, up 15.1% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $776, up 14.2% from 2019
-Student transportation: $730, down 10.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $398, up 19.7% from 2019
-Food services: $509, down 9.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $14,389, up 3.1% from 2019
-Instruction: $8,676, up 4.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,080, up 9.4% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $544, up 3.3% from 2019
-Student transportation: $597, down 11.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $694, up 3.7% from 2019
-Food services: $376, down 14.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $18,810, up 3.2% from 2019
-Instruction: $11,400, up 4.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $2,047, up 5.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $746, up 5.1% from 2019
-Student transportation: $695, down 14.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $798, up 4.5% from 2019
-Food services: $372, down 25.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,519, up 3.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,683, up 5.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $636, up 11.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $402, up 20.5% from 2019
-Student transportation: $343, down 18.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $357, up 12.7% from 2019
-Food services: $394, down 20.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $11,095, up 3.4% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,563, up 3.4% from 2019
-Student support services: $647, up 7.4% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $425, up 9.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $373, down 5.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $411, down 1.1% from 2019
-Food services: $564, up 1.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,723, up 3.6% from 2019
-Instruction: $8,515, up 3.6% from 2019
-Student support services: $733, up 3.7% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $430, down 4.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $366, down 7.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $873, up 22.8% from 2019
-Food services: $533, down 1.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $14,697, up 3.7% from 2019
-Instruction: $8,635, up 2.4% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,005, up 8.7% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $927, up 5.0% from 2019
-Student transportation: $241, down 22.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $821, up 25.6% from 2019
-Food services: $456, down 7.0% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,687, up 3.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $8,076, up 4.4% from 2019
-Student support services: $758, up 11.4% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $847, up 13.9% from 2019
-Student transportation: $443, down 21.3% from 2019
-Other support services: $743, up 11.6% from 2019
-Food services: $420, down 10.8% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $15,139, up 3.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $9,284, up 6.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $632, up 6.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $539, up 7.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $573, down 3.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $474, up 16.1% from 2019
-Food services: $695, up 1.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $11,239, up 3.9% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,222, up 2.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $638, up 5.9% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,013, up 14.6% from 2019
-Student transportation: $372, down 8.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $378, up 10.2% from 2019
-Food services: $534, down 6.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $12,108, up 4.0% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,462, up 6.1% from 2019
-Student support services: $716, up 9.7% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $613, up 0.9% from 2019
-Student transportation: $500, down 10.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $422, up 5.5% from 2019
-Food services: $492, down 16.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,279, up 4.2% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,670, up 4.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $793, up 17.2% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $515, up 13.2% from 2019
-Student transportation: $915, down 6.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $273, up 11.3% from 2019
-Food services: $814, up 3.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $16,873, up 4.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $11,038, up 7.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $839, up 11.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $812, down 0.6% from 2019
-Student transportation: $703, down 17.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $471, up 5.7% from 2019
-Food services: $317, down 30.5% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,823, up 4.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,572, up 3.5% from 2019
-Student support services: $571, up 19.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $685, up 4.2% from 2019
-Student transportation: $365, down 8.0% from 2019
-Other support services: $308, up 12.7% from 2019
-Food services: $452, down 12.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,060, up 4.6% from 2019
-Instruction: $5,763, up 5.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $582, up 12.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $466, up 6.5% from 2019
-Student transportation: $427, down 9.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $289, up 9.9% from 2019
-Food services: $505, down 10.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $15,615, up 4.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $9,376, up 5.3% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,235, up 9.3% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,108, up 11.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $466, down 18.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $734, up 18.5% from 2019
-Food services: $355, down 11.7% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $9,571, up 5.0% from 2019
-Instruction: $5,317, up 7.1% from 2019
-Student support services: $806, up 12.1% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $491, up 7.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $303, down 19.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $448, up 8.9% from 2019
-Food services: $373, down 19.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,084, up 5.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $5,811, up 7.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $704, up 6.4% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $420, up 7.8% from 2019
-Student transportation: $242, down 15.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $418, up 13.3% from 2019
-Food services: $487, down 13.5% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,856, up 5.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $8,452, up 6.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $763, up 12.6% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,089, up 18.7% from 2019
-Student transportation: $605, down 12.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $256, up 14.6% from 2019
-Food services: $432, down 12.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $25,113, up 5.9% from 2019
-Instruction: $12,626, up 5.9% from 2019
-Student support services: $2,461, up 17.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,160, down 3.7% from 2019
-Student transportation: $1,451, up 10.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $1,357, up 15.4% from 2019
-Food services: $423, down 48.4% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $10,073, up 6.2% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,077, up 9.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $626, up 16.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $522, down 2.8% from 2019
-Student transportation: $324, down 11.2% from 2019
-Other support services: $416, up 9.1% from 2019
-Food services: $287, down 23.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $12,139, up 6.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,876, up 9.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $887, down 3.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $734, up 2.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $438, down 1.5% from 2019
-Other support services: $557, up 13.6% from 2019
-Food services: $484, down 13.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $12,233, up 6.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,612, up 4.1% from 2019
-Student support services: $869, up 21.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $710, up 6.9% from 2019
-Student transportation: $310, down 9.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $1,008, up 16.5% from 2019
-Food services: $319, down 11.8% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,183, up 6.4% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,267, up 5.1% from 2019
-Student support services: $813, up 4.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $697, up 7.7% from 2019
-Student transportation: $675, down 5.3% from 2019
-Other support services: $380, up 8.2% from 2019
-Food services: $645, down 1.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,262, up 6.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,821, up 6.9% from 2019
-Student support services: $876, up 2.6% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $450, down 0.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $589, down 0.5% from 2019
-Other support services: $408, up 15.8% from 2019
-Food services: $557, up 2.5% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,351, up 6.6% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,547, up 5.9% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,151, up 12.2% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $742, up 11.9% from 2019
-Student transportation: $453, down 14.3% from 2019
-Other support services: $801, up 23.2% from 2019
-Food services: $416, down 6.5% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $13,820, up 6.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,988, up 6.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,217, up 15.3% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $557, up 8.3% from 2019
-Student transportation: $499, down 15.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $1,030, up 26.3% from 2019
-Food services: $357, down 15.8% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $19,396, up 6.9% from 2019
-Instruction: $12,298, up 6.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,588, up 11.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $596, up 4.5% from 2019
-Student transportation: $790, down 4.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $289, up 18.4% from 2019
-Food services: $357, down 16.8% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $11,411, up 7.1% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,544, up 8.6% from 2019
-Student support services: $657, up 11.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $565, up 29.5% from 2019
-Student transportation: $550, down 19.8% from 2019
-Other support services: $373, up 40.2% from 2019
-Food services: $426, down 14.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $18,140, up 7.6% from 2019
-Instruction: $10,686, up 6.5% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,131, up 8.6% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $822, down 1.4% from 2019
-Student transportation: $784, down 2.9% from 2019
-Other support services: $940, up 36.3% from 2019
-Food services: $588, up 13.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $11,049, up 7.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,547, up 9.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $614, up 15.4% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $591, up 9.2% from 2019
-Student transportation: $296, down 4.4% from 2019
-Other support services: $571, up 16.7% from 2019
-Food services: $430, down 24.2% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $21,529, up 7.9% from 2019
-Instruction: $13,824, up 9.0% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,841, up 17.7% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,024, up 9.5% from 2019
-Student transportation: $800, down 13.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $413, up 10.7% from 2019
-Food services: $470, down 20.5% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $9,054, up 8.3% from 2019
-Instruction: $5,502, up 10.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $536, up 9.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $519, up 9.1% from 2019
-Student transportation: $354, down 6.1% from 2019
-Other support services: $273, up 18.4% from 2019
-Food services: $336, down 10.9% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $12,788, up 8.7% from 2019
-Instruction: $7,627, up 9.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $909, up 13.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $523, up 4.2% from 2019
-Student transportation: $486, down 1.5% from 2019
-Other support services: $373, up 16.2% from 2019
-Food services: $509, down 5.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $24,050, up 9.1% from 2019
-Instruction: $14,965, up 8.8% from 2019
-Student support services: $2,022, up 15.8% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,019, up 7.9% from 2019
-Student transportation: $752, down 1.5% from 2019
-Other support services: $855, up 40.0% from 2019
-Food services: $636, up 8.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $9,014, up 9.1% from 2019
-Instruction: $5,716, up 9.7% from 2019
-Student support services: $512, up 29.0% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $409, up 9.3% from 2019
-Student transportation: $236, down 4.2% from 2019
-Other support services: $288, up 8.7% from 2019
-Food services: $358, down 2.1% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $18,527, up 9.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $11,585, up 11.4% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,450, up 18.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $713, up 10.0% from 2019
-Student transportation: $619, down 18.7% from 2019
-Other support services: $709, up 23.2% from 2019
-Food services: $363, down 13.3% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $11,912, up 9.5% from 2019
-Instruction: $6,951, up 12.1% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,300, up 16.5% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $297, up 5.1% from 2019
-Student transportation: $310, down 10.4% from 2019
-Other support services: $405, up 12.7% from 2019
-Food services: $415, down 20.6% from 2019
Total expenditures per student in 2021: $18,385, up 12.8% from 2019
-Instruction: $10,601, up 11.2% from 2019
-Student support services: $1,324, up 16.9% from 2019
-Instructional staff support: $1,073, up 33.3% from 2019
-Student transportation: $778, down 5.5% from 2019
-Other support services: $261, up 19.1% from 2019
-Food services: $505, down 19.9% from 2019
Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.
This story originally appeared on HeyTutor and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
