Americans Vastly Underestimate Spending on Schools and Teacher Salaries, Survey Finds

William G. Howell & Martin R. West:

Do Americans have an accurate grasp of how much is currently being spent on public education? Not according to a recent analysis of national survey results by University of Chicago’s William Howell and Brown University’s Martin R. West published in the summer issue of Education Next. The average respondent surveyed in 2007 thought per pupil spending in their district was just $4,231 dollars, even though the actual average spending per pupil among districts was $10,377 in 2005 (the most recent year for which data are available).
Howell and West also found Americans think that teachers earn far less than is actually the case. On average, the public underestimated average teacher salaries in their own state by $14,370. The average estimate among survey respondents was $33,054, while average teacher salary nationally in 2005 was actually $47,602.
Almost 96 percent of the public underestimate either per-pupil spending in their districts or teacher salaries in their states.
Howell and West also looked at whether some citizens are better informed about education spending than others. In general, they found that the responses of men were closer to the truth than those of women, and that parents of school-aged children gave more accurate responses about teacher salaries. Homeowners also appeared to be much more responsive than other Americans to higher spending levels in their districts. In districts spending more than $10,000 per pupil, for example, the responses of homeowners were closer to actual spending levels than those of individuals who rented or lived with other families. Homeowners appeared better informed about teacher salaries too, offering responses that were $7,502 higher than non-homeowners’ responses.

Complete Report – PDF.

2 thoughts on “Americans Vastly Underestimate Spending on Schools and Teacher Salaries, Survey Finds”

  1. It’s unclear what to make of these findings since they only asked about education spending. Do Americans have any better idea as to what police officers earn or what it costs to incarcerate an individual for a year? Without some sort of comparison we can’t know if these findings reflect general lack of knowledge or a specific deficit in understanding the costs of education.

  2. Teachers’ unions have been successful in fostering the impression that teachers’ aalaries are low. In many cases, starting salaries are low. What is not explained along with that are the numerous steps for experience and extra college credits that most teachers pick up along the way, not to mention the extraordinary benefits packages. Thus, teachers are paid more than the public realizes and in many cases significantly more than other comparable professions. These days, teachers who have raised their own children (and especially those who are married to another public servant) are doing far better financially than teachers did a generation or two ago.

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