| |
In
fiscal year 2006, Arizona’s classroom dollar percentage was 58.3 percent,
which was slightly lower than the previous 3 years and about 3 points behind
the national average of 61.5 percent. Arizona’s lower classroom dollar
percentage may be related to several factors combined, including low
per-pupil spending, below average district size, high population growth,
high student-to-teacher ratios, high poverty rates, and a high percentage of
students eligible for free and reduced-price lunches. However, Arizona’s
classroom dollar percentage could have been higher. If districts had
continued spending their resources as they did in fiscal year 2001, the
additional Proposition 301 and Indian Gaming monies could have raised the
State’s classroom dollar percentage to 59.7 percent.
State-wide, Arizona school
districts continue to spend a higher percentage of their dollars on plant
costs, student support services, and food service than the national
averages, and a lower percentage on administrative costs. For individual
districts, the primary factor associated with higher classroom dollar
percentages continues to be larger student populations. Conversely, higher
plant, administrative, student support, and transportation costs were the
most significant factors associated with lower classroom dollar percentages.
Within Arizona, higher
per-pupil spending does not equate to higher classroom dollar percentages.
In fact, districts that spend the most per pupil have lower classroom dollar
percentages, on average.
Proposition 301 monies
continue to be spent primarily for increasing teacher pay. On average, these
monies represented 12 percent of teacher salaries and ranged from $407 to
$8,426. A small amount of menu monies, about $209,000, was spent for
purposes not allowed by statute.
|
|
