Even though state higher-education spending has dropped, K–12 education spending remains strong. In fact, K–12 education spending per state resident has increased by 41 percent—from $1,378 in 1987 to $1,946 in 2015—and is the second-largest overall expansion nationwide in recent decades. There is no evidence, however, that K–12 spending has displaced spending on higher education. To learn more about the gradual decline in public financial support of higher education over the past 30 years, read Webber’s “Higher Ed, Lower Spending” online.

—Education Next