A U.S. Census Bureau analysis of state education funding released this week differs slightly from an analysis the National Center of Education Statistics released in April, yet both reports rank Utah last in the nation for spending.
According to census data, Utah spent $5,257 per student in fiscal year 2005, the most recent year for which data is available. The second-to-last state, Arizona, spent $6,261 per student that year.
The results surprise few policy makers, who warn against equating education quality with funding.
Members of the Utah State Board of Education, legislators and tax watchdogs say it would be nearly impossible for Utah to rival spending in other states. Income taxes from Utah's relatively small and low-paid work force get stretched paying for the state's large population of schoolchildren.
"People don't comprehend how far on the bottom we are," said Kim Burningham, state school board chairman.
He and others say Utah does a good job of educating students despite having the nation's lowest per-pupil spending.
They also say more funding is needed and note the Legislature this year awarded schools the largest funding increase in history - $500 million - although no one is certain whether that boost will change Utah's rank because other states are still setting their budgets and likely increased funding, too.
"I'm very pleased that my colleagues supported this effort and gave such a large amount of funding," said Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights, member of public education appropriations subcommittee. "But that's the type of thing that needs to be done every year, consistently year after year if we want to get out of the bottom."
According to this week's Census Bureau report, the nation spent an average of $8,701 per student in 2005, up 5 percent from the previous year. New York topped the list, spending $14,119 per student in 2005. New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Vermont; and Connecticut rounded out the top five.
Idaho, Mississippi and Oklahoma joined Utah and Arizona at the bottom of the list.
nstricker@sltrib.com
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* SHEENA MCFARLAND contributed to this report.
