Finance
School finance is reported at the district (LEA) level. The figures below cover the full RIVERHEAD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Per-pupil spending (2022)
$28,873
Total district expenditure
$159,495,000
Total district revenue
$177,534,000
District enrollment
5,524
Revenue sources
Federal$13,242,000(7.5%)
State$56,621,000(31.9%)
Local$107,671,000(60.6%)
Spending breakdown
Instruction (teacher salaries, classroom materials)$94,602,000
Support services (admin, transport, building ops)$45,111,000
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.