Student
Enrollment
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Ohio Public School Students Ohio has 1.6 million public school students of varying backgrounds and characteristics.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: Public school enrollment statistics include traditional district, public charter, and independent STEM school students, but do not include students attending joint-vocational districts and educational service centers, pupils attending non-public schools, or home schooled students. More information about those enrollments are found in the “School Options” section.
Public School Enrollment by Grade Level Ohio has roughly 100,000 to 130,000 public school students per grade level.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23).
Public School Enrollment Trends Since 2005-06, overall public school enrollment has declined by nearly 10 percent. Enrollment for Ohio’s largest race/ethnic student groups, white and African American students, has also declined.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2005-06 to 2022-23). Note: The percentages refer to the percent change from 2006 to 2023. The chart displays the spring part of the school year, a convention often used in this guide.
Public School Enrollment Trends Since 2005-06, public school enrollment has increased significantly among Hispanic, multiracial, and Asian/Pacific Islander students.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2005-06 to 2022-23). Note: The percentages refer to the percent changes from 2006 to 2023.
Public School Enrollment Trends by Selected Characteristics Since 2005-06, English learner enrollment has more than doubled, while the number of students with disabilities has slightly increased. The number of students identified as gifted has declined.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2005-06 to 2022-23). Note: The percentages refer to the percent changes from 2006 to 2023.
Low Income Students The percentage of students identified as economically disadvantaged has increased since 2005-06. However, the percentage of Ohio children living in poverty has remained mostly static.
Source: Economically disadvantaged data are from Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2005-06 to 2022-23); childhood poverty data are from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center and based on U.S. Census poverty estimates (data were not reported for 2020 and are not yet available for 2023). Notes: Ohio identifies students as “economically disadvantaged” via federal meal programs, open to pupils from households with incomes at or below 185% of federal poverty. However, in 2010, Congress passed the Community Eligibility Provision which allows certain schools to deem all students as disadvantaged (even higher-income children) for the purposes of meals eligibility. In contrast, children in poverty are from households at or below 100% federal poverty.
Ohio School Districts and Typologies For analytic purposes, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce categorizes districts into eight typologies based on their geographic and socio-economic characteristics. This publication displays various statistics by typology to illustrate patterns of enrollment and achievement across the state.
Source: Ohio DEW, School District Typology. Note: This map displays the border of each district and its corresponding typology.
Public School Students by Typology 28 percent of Ohio students reside in urban areas and 35 percent are from suburban communities; 21 percent live in small towns while 15 percent are from rural areas.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Overview” (2022-23). Note: Public charter and STEM schools are assigned to the typology of the district in which the school is located, as reported in DEW’s community school directory. Online charters—also known as e-schools—are not included in a typology, since they can enroll students statewide.
Public School Students in Urban Areas Students living in urban areas come from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, and almost nine in ten are identified as economically disadvantaged.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Details” (2022-23). Note: This table combines districts and charters in both of the urban typologies (i.e., urban: very high poverty and urban: high poverty).
Public School Students in Suburban Areas Students from suburban areas are majority white, with modest racial and ethnic diversity. About one in five suburban students are economically disadvantaged.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Details” (2022-23). Note: This table combines districts and charters in both of the suburban typologies (i.e., suburban: very low poverty and suburban: low poverty).
Public School Students in Small Town Areas The large majority of students from small towns are white and more than two in five are economically disadvantaged.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Details” (2022-23). Note: This table combines districts and charters in both of the small town typologies (i.e., small town: high poverty and small town: low poverty).
Public School Students in Rural Areas Students from rural areas are overwhelmingly white and just under half are identified as economically disadvantaged.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Details” (2022-23). Note: This table combines districts and charters in both of the rural typologies (i.e., rural: average poverty and rural: high poverty).
Ohio’s Twenty-Five Largest Districts by Enrollment (2022-23)
Note: Ohio Virtual Academy, a statewide e-school, is considered equivalent to a school district. This table does not include charter or STEM students as part of the district’s student population. Enrollment changes of less than +/- 1 percent are considered to have had no substantive change (marked as “--“).
School
Options
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Enrollment by Educational Model Roughly 80 percent of Ohio students attend traditional public school districts, while more than 110,000 students attend charter schools and more than 200,000 students attend non-public schools or homeschool.
Sources: All data are for 2022-23 and drawn from various sources from Ohio DEW.
Public Charter Schools Ohio has 334 charter schools—also known as community schools—serving more than 110,000 students.
Sources: Ohio DEW downloadable file titled “Building Overview” was used to calculate enrollments for 2022-23 and the community school directory was used to identify the type of charter school. Historical enrollment data were drawn from DEW, Community School Annual Report: 2021-2022.
Characteristics of Charter School Students Roughly 80 percent of charter school students are economically disadvantaged, and a majority are Black or Hispanic. Nearly 70 percent of charter school students attend brick-and-mortar charters located in urban communities.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: All statistics in this table include online charter schools; they are not assigned to district typologies, however, because they can draw students from all areas of the state.
Interdistrict Open Enrollment Four in five Ohio districts participate in interdistrict open enrollment. Approximately 80,000 students open enroll, with participation generally, until recently, increasing over time.
Sources: Two sources were used for this chart, based on the availability of data. For 2002-03 to 2011-12, data from the Ohio Auditor of State’s 2016 report, Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Open Enrollment were used. For 2012-13 to 2022-23, enrollments are calculated based on school districts’ funding reports; see Ohio DEW, Traditional Public Schools Funding.
Private School Scholarships More than 80,000 students used state-funded scholarships (often referred to as vouchers) to attend private schools in 2022-23.
Source: Historical Historical data through 2020-21 are from American Federation for Children, School Choice Yearbook (2021). Ohio DEW began recently reporting more detailed voucher data and beginning with 2021-22, numbers are from Advanced Reports. Note: The chart displays the total number of students in the various scholarship programs. For more information on each program, see Ohio DEW’s webpage, Scholarships.
Homeschooling Nearly 50,000 students participate in homeschooling; the number of homeschoolers significantly increased in 2020-21 and has decreased slightly since then.
Source: Ohio DEW, Homeschool Student Data. Note: Students attending online charter schools are not considered homeschool students.
Student Achievement:
National Exams
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National Exams: NAEP 2022 Approximately 30 to 40 percent of Ohio students reach the national standard for proficiency, just above the national average.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer (2022). Note: The figure displays proficiency rates—the percentage of students achieving NAEP’s rigorous proficiency benchmark. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), considered the “Nation’s Report Card,” is administered to a representative sample of fourth and eighth grade students in each state every two years in reading and math.
Ohio Compared to Other States Nationally, Ohio ranks between 11th and 20th in fourth and eighth grade math and reading. Ohio’s national position has typically been between 10th and 20th for the past two decades.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer. Note: The table displays Ohio’s rank on NAEP scores among all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense schools (52 jurisdictions in all).
National Exams: How Ohio Compares to Nearby States When compared to nearby states, Ohio ranks 1st out of 10 in fourth grade reading proficiency and is tied for 3rd in fourth grade math proficiency.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer (2022). Note: The figure displays proficiency rates—the percentage of students achieving NAEP’s rigorous proficiency benchmark.
National Exams: How Ohio Compares to Nearby States When compared to nearby states, Ohio ranks 1st out of 10 in eighth grade reading proficiency and 4th in eighth grade math proficiency.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer (2022). Note: The figure displays proficiency rates—the percentage of students achieving NAEP’s rigorous proficiency benchmark.
Ohio’s NAEP Scores over Time: Fourth Grade Ohio’s fourth grade reading scores have been largely flat until recent declines that follow national trends. Fourth grade math scores increased from 2003 to 2013 but have declined in more recent years.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer. Note: The NAEP trend charts display scaled scores. Scores are reported on a scale of 0 and 500, with the score needed to reach proficient displayed for reference.
Ohio’s NAEP Scores over Time: Eighth Grade Ohio’s eighth grade reading scores were largely flat in reading until the significant decline in 2022. Eighth grade math scores increased from 2003 to 2013 but have declined since then.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer. Note: The NAEP trend charts display scaled scores. Scores are reported on a scale of 0 and 500, with the score needed to reach proficient displayed for reference.
National Exams: Achievement by Race/Ethnicity Between 40 and 50 percent of Ohio’s white fourth grade students achieve proficiency on NAEP, but less than 15 percent of Ohio’s Black students do so.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer (2022). Note: The figure displays proficiency rates—the percentage of students achieving NAEP’s rigorous proficiency benchmark. Smaller race/ethnic subgroups are omitted for display purposes.
National Exams: Achievement by Race/Ethnicity Between 35 and 40 percent of Ohio’s white eighth grade students achieve proficiency on NAEP, but less than 15 percent of Black students in Ohio do so.
Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, Data Explorer (2022). Note: The figure displays proficiency rates—the percentage of students achieving NAEP’s rigorous proficiency benchmark. Smaller race/ethnic subgroups are omitted for display purposes.
Student Achievement:
State Exams
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Statewide Achievement in Selected Grades and Subjects 59 and 67 percent of Ohio fourth grade students reach proficient or above on state English language arts (ELA) and math exams, respectively.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: Percentages may not total due to rounding. Not displayed is the “advanced plus” level, a category used when students score “advanced” on an above-grade-level assessment. In fourth grade, 0.1 and 0.2 percent of students scored advanced plus in ELA and math, respectively.
Statewide Achievement in Selected Grades and Subjects 58 and 46 percent of Ohio eighth grade students reach proficient or above on state English language arts (ELA) and math exams, respectively.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: Percentages may not total due to rounding.
Achievement Gaps On average, Black and Hispanic students achieve at lower levels than white students on fourth grade state exams.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: Other race/ethnic subgroups are not shown for display purposes. Asian/Pacific Islander students achieve, on average, at higher levels than white students; multiracial students achieve at levels between white and Hispanic students.
Achievement Gaps On average, Black and Hispanic students achieve at lower levels than white students on eighth grade state exams.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: Other race/ethnic subgroups are not shown for display purposes. Asian/Pacific Islander students achieve, on average, at higher levels than white students; multiracial students achieve at levels between white and Hispanic students.
Achievement Gaps On average, economically disadvantaged students achieve at lower levels than their peers on fourth and eighth grade state exams.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2022-23). Note: For more on the identification of economically disadvantaged students, see Student Enrollment section.
Achievement Gaps Versus Prior Years Achievement gaps were large prior to the pandemic, and they have generally widened since then.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports (2015-16 to 2022-23). Note: This table displays the percentage point difference in proficiency rates between, e.g., Black and white students. “Low-high income” gap refers to the difference in proficiency rates between economically disadvantaged students and those who are not so identified. Data are not displayed for 2019-20 due to the cancellation of state tests that year.
Student Achievement by District Typology Fourth grade proficiency rates are highest in Ohio’s suburban areas and lowest in urban areas.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Achievement” (2022-23). Note: The typology averages are weighted by the number of fourth graders in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Student Achievement by District Typology Eighth grade proficiency rates are highest in Ohio’s suburban areas and lowest in urban areas.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Achievement” (2022-23). Note: The typology averages are weighted by the number of eighth graders in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Proficiency Trends in Fourth and Eighth Grade Proficiency rates on state exams dipped in 2020-21, reflecting Covid-related disruptions. While math scores have rebounded, they remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels in both fourth and eighth grade. ELA scores still trail pre-pandemic levels in fourth grade but have recovered in eighth grade.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports. Note: No data are displayed for 2019-20 due to the cancellation of state tests that year.
Proficiency Trends on Selected High School Exams Proficiency rates on state end-of-course (EOC) exams declined in 2020-21, reflecting Covid-related disruptions, and have slightly rebounded in algebra I but not in geometry or English.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports. Note: No data are displayed for 2019-20 due to the cancellation of state tests that year.
Proficiency Rates on All State Exams The percent of Ohio students reaching proficiency or above on the various state exams ranges from roughly 40 to 70 percent.
Source: Ohio DEW, Advanced Reports. Note: Data for 2019-20 are not displayed due to the cancellation of state tests that year.
Post-Secondary Readiness
and Outcomes
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ACT Scores Over Time Ohio’s average ACT composite score fell significantly beginning with the class of 2018, when all Ohio juniors began taking a college admissions exam. Ohio’s ACT scores have declined further since 2018.
Source: ACT, Average ACT Scores by State: Graduating Class of 2023; for historical data, see, e.g., ACT, Graduation Class of 2014—Ohio. Note: This chart displays the average ACT composite score on all four tested subjects (English, math, reading, and science). About three in four Ohio students took the ACT exams in the classes of 2005-17, while practically all students in the classes of 2018-20 did so. Participation was somewhat lower for the classes of 2021-23 (roughly 80-85 percent). Composite scores are reported on a scale of 0 to 36.
Average ACT Scores by Race/Ethnicity Large gaps in average ACT scores exist between race/ethnic groups; disparities have not narrowed significantly over the past decade.
Source: ACT, U.S. High School Graduating Class Trends; for historical data, see, e.g., ACT, Graduation Class of 2014—Ohio. Note: ACT reports data for several smaller racial/ethnic student groups that are not displayed on this figure.
ACT Exam: College Readiness of the Class of 2023 College readiness varies by ACT content area—from roughly 30 percent in math and science to 47 percent in English. Just 20 percent of Ohio students reach college ready benchmarks in all four areas of the ACT.
Source: ACT, U.S. High School Graduating Class Trends. Note: ACT establishes minimum test scores in each subject that indicate readiness for college coursework in that area. For more on the college-ready benchmarks, see ACT, What are the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks? These benchmarks are used by the Ohio Department of Higher Education to determine incoming college students’ remediation-free status.
Industry Credentials Approximately one in ten students earn twelve or more points in Ohio’s industry credentialing system before graduating. Students from rural schools have the highest rates of credentials earned (16 percent), while those from suburban schools have the lowest (6 percent).
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building CCWMR Data” (2022-23). Note: The rates indicate the percentage of students earning 12 or more points in Ohio’s industry credentialing system. Data are from the class of 2022, including non-graduates. The typology averages are weighted by the number of students in this class in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Advanced Placement (AP) Scores 14 percent of Ohio students pass at least one AP exam. 30 percent of students from suburban schools earn a passing score, while only 3.5 percent of rural students do so.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building CCWMR Data” (2022-23). Note: The rates indicate the percentage of students earning a score of at least 3 out of 5 possible points on one or more AP exams. Students who do not take an AP exam are included in the denominator. Data are from the class of 2022, including non-graduates. The typology averages are weighted by the number of students in this class in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Dual Enrollment Credit 13 percent of Ohio students earn twelve or more college credits through dual enrollment programs. Almost one in five students from small town and rural schools earn twelve or more credits, while just 8 percent of urban students do so.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building CCWMR Data” (2022-23). Note: The rates indicate the percentage of students earning 12 or more college credits through a dual high school/college enrollment program. Data are from the class of 2022, including non-graduates. The typology averages are weighted by the number of students in this class in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Four-Year High School Graduation Rates 87 percent of Ohio students graduate high school in four years. Graduation rates exceed 90 percent in much of the state, with lower rates in urban communities.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building Graduation Rates” (2022-23). Note: Graduation rates indicate the percentage of students in the class of 2022 who earned a high school diploma within four years of entering ninth grade. The typology averages are weighted by the number of students in this class in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Industry Credentials and AP Exam Trends Attainment of industry credentials rose significantly for the class of 2022, while the percentage of students passing an AP exam has been flat in recent years.
Source: Ohio DEW downloadable files titled (depending on year) “State CCWMR Data” and “State Prepared for Success.”
Trends in Dual Enrollment and High School Graduation Dual enrollment credits earned and high school graduation rates have risen during the past decade.
Source: Ohio DEW downloadable files titled (depending on year) “State CCWMR Data” and “State Prepared for Success.” Note: To maintain consistency with historically reported dual enrollment rates, this page displays the percentage of students earning 3 or more dual enrollment credits. The Dual Enrollment Credit section displays the percentage earning 12 or more credits.
College Enrollment Rates 47 percent of Ohio students enroll in two or four year colleges after high school. Enrollment is highest among students from suburban areas (67 percent) and lower in other locales.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building College Readiness” (2022-23). Note: The chart displays the percent of the high school class of 2020 (including non-graduates) that enrolled in a two- or four-year college (Ohio or non-Ohio) within two years of high school. The typology averages are weighted by the number of students in this class in each district, charter, or STEM school.
College Completion Rates Just 30 percent of Ohio students attain at least an associate degree within six years of leaving high school. College completion rates are highest among students who attended high school in suburban areas (48 percent) and lower among those from other parts of Ohio.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW downloadable files titled “District and Building College Readiness” (2022-23). Note: The chart displays the percent of the high school class of 2016 (including non-graduates) who earned at least an associate degree within six years of high school at an Ohio or non-Ohio college or university. The typology averages are weighted by the number of students in this class in each district, charter, or STEM school.
Trends in College Enrollment and Completion College enrollment has decreased in recent years, while college completion rates remained generally flat for the classes of 2009 to 2016.
Source: Ohio DEW downloadable files titled (depending on year) “State College Readiness Data” and “State Prepared for Success.” Note: DEW has not yet reported college enrollment data for the classes of 2021 and beyond, nor completion data for the classes of 2017 and beyond.
Ohio’s
Educators
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Public School Teachers Ohio public schools employ roughly 100,000 teachers, or 16 students per teacher.
Source: DataOhio, Education Employee Positions and Demographics—Public. (Position Title: “Teacher Assignment”). Note: The number of students per teacher is calculated based on student enrollment counts reported in the Student Enrollment section.
Characteristics of Ohio Teachers Nearly three in four teachers are female, and 90 percent are white. Almost all teachers hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: DataOhio, Education Employee Positions and Demographics—Public (2022-23).
Non-Teaching Staff Positions Ohio public schools have approximately 220,000 non-teaching staff positions, or about 7 students per non-teaching position.
Source: DataOhio, Education Employee Positions and Demographics—Public. Note: The number of students per non-teaching staff positions is calculated based on the student enrollment counts reported in the Student Enrollment section.
Staff Positions in Ohio Schools Classroom teachers represent about one-third of the total staff positions in public schools. Other common staffing positions include those that support athletics and extracurricular activities, as well as perform other pupil services.
Source: DataOhio, Education Employee Positions and Demographics—Public (2022-23). Note: Descriptions of staff positions are available at Ohio DEW, EMIS Manual, Section 3.9: Position Codes. Some classroom teachers may also serve as non-teaching staff (e.g., teachers who are athletics coaches or extracurricular advisors). Schools report part-time employees as fractional staff positions.
Teacher Salaries by District Typology On average, Ohio teachers earn almost $70,000 per year, with higher salaries in urban and suburban districts.
Source: Calculations based on Ohio DEW, District Profile Report (FY22). Note: The typology averages are weighted by district enrollment in 2021-22. Public charter and STEM schools are not included in this figure because they are not included in the District Profile Report. Salary data exclude healthcare and retirement benefits.
Trends in Teacher Salaries Adjusted for inflation, average teacher salaries have ranged from approximately $70,000 to $80,000 per year since 2009.
Source: DataOhio, Education Employee Positions and Demographics—Public. Note: The FY09 to FY22 salary data were adjusted to 2023 price levels using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.
Trends in Superintendent and Principal Salaries Adjusted for inflation, average superintendent salaries have ranged from $125,000 to $145,000 per year since 2009, while principal salaries have ranged from $100,000 to $115,000 per year.
Source: DataOhio, Education Employee Positions and Demographics—Public. Note: The FY09 to FY22 salary data were adjusted to 2023 price levels using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.
School
Funding
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How Ohio Funds Public Schools Ohio public schools receive more than $27 billion per year via local, state, and federal tax revenues, and some non-taxpayer support. In FY22, state funds provided, on average, 36 percent of total revenues for school districts, while local taxes contributed 44 percent. Federal and non-tax sources provided the rest.
Source: The total revenue amount for Ohio public schools is from U.S. Department of Education, Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY21, Table 1. The breakdown of revenue by source is from the Ohio DEW, District Profile Reports (FY22). Note: Other non-tax revenue includes sales of assets, fees, and investment income.
How Ohio Funds Public Schools: Trend Over Time State and local taxpayer dollars provide the bulk of funding for K-12 education. Federal and non-tax revenues provide smaller shares of funding, though pandemic-relief aid led to increased federal support in 2022.
Source: Ohio DEW, District Profile Report (FY06 to FY22). Note: Prior to FY13, DEW did not report revenue as “other non-tax,” a category that includes sales of assets, fees, and investment income. Previously, most of those revenues were reported as local funds.
Education in the State Budget Just over 40 percent of Ohio’s total state budget is spent on K-12 education.
Source: Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Historical Revenues and Expenditures, Table 2. Note: This chart shows K–12 education spending as a percentage of the state’s general revenue fund, lottery profits education fund, and local government fund. It excludes federal dollars that are included in the overall state budget (including federal funds for K–12 education).
How Funds Are Spent Nearly 60 percent of education funding is spent on classroom instruction. The remainder supports administration, building operations, and support activities.
Source: Ohio DEW, District Profile Reports (FY22). Note: The expenditure data shown in this chart do not include capital outlay (e.g., construction or interest on debt); see Capital Outlay and Debt Service for those expenditures.
How Funds Are Spent: Salaries and Benefits 61 percent of public schools’ instructional expenditures are spent on salaries and 23 percent on benefits. Educator salaries have become a slightly smaller share of instructional spending since 2005, while benefits have remained largely consistent.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (USED), Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY21, Table 6, and historical data are from USED, Digest of Education Statistics. Note: Benefits include spending on retirement, healthcare, worker’s compensation, and tuition reimbursement. Instructional spending on salaries and benefits do not total 100% due to other expenses such as materials and curriculum development.
Expenditure Per Pupil On average, Ohio school districts spent more than $14,500 per pupil in total operational expenditures in FY22. Urban districts had the highest per pupil expenditures ($17,569), while small town districts spent the least ($12,942 per pupil).
Source: Calculations based on data from Ohio DEW, District Profile Reports (FY22). Note: The average per-pupil expenditures for each typology are weighted by district enrollment in 2021-22. Public charter and STEM schools are not included in these data, as they are not included in the District Profile Report. The expenditure data include the spending of dollars from various revenue sources—e.g., state, local, and federal funds—and exclude capital outlay (e.g., construction or interest on debt).
Expenditure Per Pupil Compared to Nearby States Ohio spends slightly more than the national average—and more than most nearby states—yet spends less than Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY21, Table 5. Note: To allow for comparisons with other states, this chart relies on federally-reported operational expenditures per pupil (excluding capital expenses such as construction and interest on debt). Due to differences in source, the spending data here do not match precisely with state-reported data presented elsewhere.
Public School Expenditures Over Time Adjusted for inflation, expenditures per pupil have steadily increased in Ohio over the past decade.
Source: Ohio DEW, District Profile Reports. (FY06 to FY22) Note: Statewide expenditures per pupil for FY06 to FY21 are inflation-adjusted to 2022 dollars, using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index. These data exclude capital outlay and debt service.
Capital Outlay and Debt Service Over the past decade, Ohio public schools have spent roughly $1.5 to $3.5 billion per year on capital outlay—expenditures on construction, land, and equipment—and approximately $500 million per year on interest on debt.
Note: U.S. Department of Education (USED), Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY21, Table 7; historical data are from USED, Digest of Education Statistics. Note: Capital expenditures for FY06 to FY20 are inflation-adjusted to 2021 dollars, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.