More (education) money, more problems?

With education reform quickly becoming one of the most popular — and controversial — topics in Illinois, many residents may be wondering just how much money is going towards schools in the state. Let’s turn to State Data Lab to find out.

In the year 2014, the national average state education spending came out to roughly $13.4 billion. Most of Illinois’ neighbors came in below average (Iowa at $8 billion, Missouri at $10 billion, and Wisconsin at $11 billion), or slightly above (Michigan at $15 billion, Minnesota at $16 billion, and Indiana at $17 billion). However, Illinois’ annual education-related expenses blew all its neighbors’ spending out of the water — in 2014, the state spent $28 billion, more than double the national average.

Though Illinois does have the highest population of all of these states (almost 13 million as of 2014), Ohio’s population is comparable, but the state spent under $20 billion on education-related expenses in the same year.

Why does Illinois spend so much on its education? Will this pattern change amidst the state’s budget impasse?

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