How does Oregons spending on schools stack up?
Debates over taxes and spending lead to discussion about how government funds are spent. Education is the largest use of state government funds. Oregons total spending per student in elementary and secondary educationincluding instruction, capital, interest, and debt was $8,084 in 2000, almost exactly the national average of $8,032 (see graph). This total breaks down to $4,244 for instruction, $2,653 for student services, and $935 for capital outlays and debt. Oregon spends a bit more than the national average on student services, but less than average on capital outlays. Comparisons based on per-capita spending or spending as a share of personal income may look different. During the 1990s, Oregons current spending per student (excluding capital outlays and debt) was very slightly above the national average. Both Oregons spending and the national average grew about 9 percent in the late 1990s, when adjusted for inflation. In 2003, however, Oregons spending per student fell by an estima
