Where Did $2.2 Billion Dollars Go?

Over the past eight years, public school K-12 spending has grown ten-times faster than student enrollment. While student enrollment increased 4.8 percent, spending grew 48 percent.

If Idaho’s public schools had simply stayed as productive as they were eight years ago, taxpayers would have saved over $2.2 billion dollars. What justifies this additional cost? Academic achievement has not improved. If present trends continue for another eight years, Idaho taxpayers will be spending around $11,000 per student ADA per year. If this increase were paid for with sales taxes, the rate would have to be increased to around 12 percent.

Who’s in favor of this increase? Idaho must face the very real problem of productivity in public education. We continue to spend more and get less. Our best hope is to implement proven reforms that create incentives to be productive.

These reforms include offering vouchers and tax credits, recognizing the right of parents to choose the best school for their children, and inviting the private sector to participate. These reforms have proven to improve academic achievement and reduce costs wherever they have been implemented.

Otherwise, Idahoans better get ready to pay a lot more in taxes.