Public education by the numbers

A Census Bureau report has a little bit for everybody in the school funding debate.

Overall, Minnesota is decidedly middle-of-the-pack among states when it comes to per-pupil public education spending, according to the report released today by the Census Bureau.

The state finished 22nd, spending $9,539 per student in 2007, slightly below the national average of $9,666.

The state was 49th in the amount of per-pupil education expenditures that come from the federal government ($670). But the state’s commitment to public education is actually much higher. The state ranks seventh in the country in the amount that comes from the state ($7,679).

$4,329.20 of the state’s spending goes for salaries (15th), $400 goes toward general school administration expenses (46th).

Here’s the spreadsheet data.