How Rhode Island Schools Compare- 2000 Overview

The estimates contained in this publication are derived primarily from the National Education Association's (NEA) publication, "Ranking of the States 1999 and Estimates of School Statistics 2000." NEA attempts to collect data from state departments of education, however not all states respond. In addition, states that do respond to the NEA may not report information in a consistent manner. Interstate comparisons should be viewed cautiously.

This edition of "How Rhode Island Schools Compare" includes data covering a seven-year period (1992-93, 1995-96 and 1998-99) that tracks estimated average teacher salaries (Table 1), estimated current expenditures per student in fall enrollment (Table 4), and estimated school revenue per student in fall enrollment (Table 5). This period of time was chosen due to the lack of comparable data regarding per student expenditures and revenues prior to 1992-93.

Table 1- Estimated Average Teacher Salaries 1998-99, 1995-96 and 1992-93

Table 2 - American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Estimated Average Salaries of Public School Teachers Adjusted by Cost of Living, 1997-98

Table 3 - American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Estimated Beginning Salaries of Public School Teachers, 1997-98

Table 4 - Estimated Current Expenditures Per Student in Fall Enrollment 1998-99, 1995-96 and 1992-93 (Measured in Current Dollars) Change (in current $) 1992-93 to 1998-99

Table 5 - Estimated Public School Revenue Per Student in Fall Enrollment 1998-99, 1995-96 and 1992-93 (Measured in Current Dollars) Change (in current $) 1992-93 to 1998-99

Table 6 - Percentage of Revenue for Public Schools from Local Governments, 1998-99

Table 7 - Percentage of Revenue for Public Schools from State Governments, 1998-99

Table 8 - Percentage of Revenue for Public Schools from the Federal Government, 1998-99
 

Definitions
Current Expenditures - The expenditures for operating local public schools, excluding capital outlay and interest on school debt.

Fall Enrollment - The count of the pupils registered in the fall of the school year.

Federal Government Revenue - Includes money distributed from the Federal treasury either directly to local school districts or through the state and county, including: grants for vocational education; aid to federally affected areas; school lunch and milk programs; educating American Indians in local public schools; and money derived from Federal forest reserves and Federal oil royalties.

Local Government Revenue - Includes all funds for direct expenditures by local and intermediate departments of education, for employer contributions to retirement systems and/or Social Security on behalf of public school employees, for the purchase of materials for distribution of local school districts, etc.

Public School Teacher - A staff member assigned the professional activities of instructing pupils in self-contained classes or courses, or in classroom situations.

State Government Revenue - Includes all funds for the operation of the state department of education, for state (employer) contributions to retirement systems and/or Social Security on behalf of school employees, for grants in aid to intermediate and local school districts for school purposes, for the payment of interest on state bonds issued to provide grants to local school districts, and all other state revenue for public schools.

Total Public School Revenue - Includes all revenue receipts available for expenditure for current expenses, capital outlay, and debt service for public schools, including all appropriations from general funds of Federal, state, county, and local governments. Source: National Education Association, "Rankings of the States 1999 and Estimates of School Statistics 2000," December 1999