Finance
School finance is reported at the district (LEA) level. The figures below cover the full Decatur SD 61.
Per-pupil spending (2022)
$18,855
Total district expenditure
$155,740,000
Total district revenue
$158,022,000
District enrollment
8,260
Revenue sources
Federal$33,796,000(21.4%)
State$68,431,000(43.3%)
Local$55,795,000(35.3%)
Spending breakdown
Instruction (teacher salaries, classroom materials)$56,982,000
Support services (admin, transport, building ops)$71,555,000
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, FY 2022. Figures cover the entire district; individual school-level spending is not published.
US public school funding 101
- Local revenue (property taxes) is typically the largest source in most states, though this varies widely.
- State revenue equalization formulas aim to reduce disparities between wealthy and poor districts.
- Federal revenue is usually 6-10% of budget — Title I (poverty), IDEA (special education), ESSER (COVID relief).
- Per-pupil spending varies from under $10,000 to over $30,000 across states; California averages around $15,000, New York around $28,000.