2023 Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending Unveiled by Murphy Administration

New Tool Aims to Enhance Public Understanding and Transparency in New Jersey School District Expenditures

Morristown, NJ - On Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, the New Jersey Department of Education announced the release of the 2023 Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending. This release marks the 25th year that the guide has been made available to the public, designed to promote understanding and transparency in school district spending practices throughout New Jersey.

Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, the Acting Commissioner of Education, emphasized the guide's importance, stating, “This is a tool that can generate discussion between the public and local school officials to encourage a shared understanding of the needs and the goals of the local school district.”

The guide reports that for the 2022-2023 school year, the average Budgetary Cost Per Pupil stood at $19,164. This average encompasses school districts that serve students from preschool to grade 12, including charter schools, county vocational school districts, and county special services school districts. Notably, this figure, which omits costs that vary considerably from one district to another, has risen by $1,508 or 8.5 percent from the prior year's spending.

Moreover, the Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending provides a detailed breakdown, categorizing schools by their size and the grade levels they offer. It also ranks districts based on spending in 17 distinct categories. These include total administrative costs, total classroom instruction, student-to-teacher ratios, and the ratio of faculty to administrative staff.

An additional metric, the “Total Spending Per Pupil,” gives a broader perspective on district spending. It incorporates the Budgetary Cost Per Pupil along with other costs, such as tuition for out-of-district students, lunch programs, transportation, and state pension payments. According to the most recent data for the 2021-2022 school year, this figure is $27,486, marking a $2,982 or 12.2 percent increase from the previous year.

For those interested in tracking education spending trends over the years, the Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending is available on the Department’s website, with reports dating back to 1999.