Kansas schools currently spend more per pupil than any state in the High Plains Public Radio listening area, according to Federal data.
And as The Tulsa World reports,Oklahoma continues to spend the least amount per student of any state in the region. Oklahoma only spends about $8,000 per year on its students.
Texas spends a thousand more dollars per student than Oklahoma, and Colorado spends slightly more than Texas, averaging about $9,300 per pupil. But Kansas is currently spending a thousand dollars more than Colorado, averaging well over $10,000 per student. Kansas also spends more per student than nearby New Mexico, Arkansas, and Missouri.
It should come as no surprise that Oklahoma lags behind, as the state has been experiencing a massive budget deficit for years, and many schools in the state have been forced to move to four-day school weeks.