Finance
School finance is reported at the district (LEA) level. The figures below cover the full Richland School District.
Per-pupil spending (2022)
$18,933
Total district expenditure
$261,863,000
Total district revenue
$240,267,000
District enrollment
13,831
Revenue sources
Federal$24,716,000(10.3%)
State$157,926,000(65.7%)
Local$57,625,000(24.0%)
Spending breakdown
Instruction (teacher salaries, classroom materials)$125,876,000
Support services (admin, transport, building ops)$71,998,000
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, FY 2022. Figures cover the entire district; individual school-level spending is not published.
US public school funding 101
- Local revenue (property taxes) is typically the largest source in most states, though this varies widely.
- State revenue equalization formulas aim to reduce disparities between wealthy and poor districts.
- Federal revenue is usually 6-10% of budget — Title I (poverty), IDEA (special education), ESSER (COVID relief).
- Per-pupil spending varies from under $10,000 to over $30,000 across states; California averages around $15,000, New York around $28,000.