Per-pupil spending in public schools fell in 2010-11

For the first time since the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking school spending, per-pupil expenditures in public schools declined in 2010-11. The bureau says the 50 states and the District of Columbia spent $10,560 per student in 2010-11, down 0.4 percent from 2009-10. The top spenders were New York ($19,076), the District of Columbia ($18,475), Alaska ($16,674), New Jersey ($15,968) and Vermont ($15,925).