Reforming How State Per Pupil Spending is Factored into the Title I Formula

This table shows the current Title I formula approach to state per pupil spending levels, and the effect of two possible reforms.

Under the current formula, actual state spending levels are adjusted so that the state’s spending level in the formula is never less than 80% or more than 120% of the national average. The actual and adjusted per pupil spending for each states is shown in the second and third columns.

The fourth column shows how the spending levels would change in some states if the minimum were 90% of the national average. The fifth column shows how much would be added to the state spending figure for those states affected by the 90% minimum.

Columns 6-10 show the effect of using a Title I Eligibility Index to adjust the state per pupil spending levels according to the state’s poverty levels (Title I eligibility rate). Column 6 shows the state’s Title I eligibility rate and column 7 shows that rate divided by the national average rate (we call this the “Eligibility Index”). The minimum Eligibility Index a state can receive is 1.0. Column 8 multiplies the actual state spending level by the Eligibility Index. Column 9 applies the 90% minimum and 120% maximum to the results from column 8. Column 10 shows the effect of this Eligibility Index, above and beyond the effect of increasing the minimum to 90%.

Finally, column 11 shows the combined effect of the two potential reforms on the per pupil spending level entered into the formula for each state.

Reforming How State Per Pupil Spending is Factored into the Title I Formula

  Current Formula Higher Minimum Eligibility Index Combined Effect
State Spending Per Pupil Adjusted Under Current Minimum and Maximum Adjusted with 90% Minimum Added (Bold face)  Increase due to 90% Floor % Title 1 Eligibility Rate Eligibility Index (minimum  =  1.00) Adjusted with Eligibility Index Adjusted with Eligibility Index and 90% Floor  Increase Due to Eligibility Index Increase Due to both 90% Floor and Poverty Adjustment
U.S. TOTAL $9,239 $7,391 $8,315 $924 18.1%          
ALABAMA $7,299 $7,391 $8,315 $924 21.9% 1.21 $8,815 $8,815 $500 $1,424
ALASKA $12,004 $11,087 $11,087 $0 13.6% 1.00 $12,004 $11,087 $0 $0
ARIZONA $7,110 $7,391 $8,315 $924 19.6% 1.08 $7,711 $8,315 $0 $924
ARKANSAS $8,143 $8,143 $8,315 $172 22.3% 1.23 $10,046 $10,046 $1,731 $1,903
CALIFORNIA $7,969 $7,969 $8,315 $346 18.5% 1.02 $8,136 $8,315 $0 $346
COLORADO $8,303 $8,303 $8,315 $12 13.8% 1.00 $8,303 $8,315 $0 $12
CONNECTICUT $13,014 $11,087 $11,087 $0 14.6% 1.00 $13,014 $11,087 $0 $0
DELAWARE $11,871 $11,087 $11,087 $0 12.5% 1.00 $11,871 $11,087 $0 $0
DIST. COLUMBIA $16,416 $11,087 $11,087 $0 29.1% 1.60 $26,347 $11,087 $0 $0
FLORIDA $7,779 $7,779 $8,315 $536 17.0% 1.00 $7,779 $8,315 $0 $536
GEORGIA $8,581 $8,581 $8,581 $0 18.5% 1.02 $8,771 $8,771 $190 $190
HAWAII $10,322 $10,322 $10,322 $0 11.8% 1.00 $10,322 $10,322 $0 $0
IDAHO $6,524 $7,391 $8,315 $924 14.6% 1.00 $6,524 $8,315 $0 $924
ILLINOIS $9,734 $9,734 $9,734 $0 17.5% 1.00 $9,734 $9,734 $0 $0
INDIANA $9,072 $9,072 $9,072 $0 15.9% 1.00 $9,072 $9,072 $0 $0
IOWA $8,041 $8,041 $8,315 $274 12.5% 1.00 $8,041 $8,315 $0 $274
KANSAS $9,381 $9,381 $9,381 $0 14.9% 1.00 $9,381 $9,381 $0 $0
KENTUCKY $8,439 $8,439 $8,439 $0 20.9% 1.15 $9,726 $9,726 $1,287 $1,287
LOUISIANA $8,115 $8,115 $8,315 $200 26.3% 1.46 $11,809 $11,087 $2,772 $2,972
MAINE $11,175 $11,087 $11,087 $0 14.9% 1.00 $11,175 $11,087 $0 $0
MARYLAND $11,130 $11,087 $11,087 $0 11.0% 1.00 $11,130 $11,087 $0 $0
MASSACHUSETTS $12,158 $11,087 $11,087 $0 15.7% 1.00 $12,158 $11,087 $0 $0
MICHIGAN $10,119 $10,119 $10,119 $0 18.2% 1.01 $10,186 $10,186 $67 $67
MINNESOTA $9,223 $9,223 $9,223 $0 11.6% 1.00 $9,223 $9,223 $0 $0
MISSISSIPPI $6,999 $7,391 $8,315 $924 27.2% 1.50 $10,514 $10,514 $2,199 $3,123
MISSOURI $8,219 $8,219 $8,315 $96 18.8% 1.00 $8,219 $8,219 -$96 $0
MONTANA $8,865 $8,865 $8,865 $0 17.4% 1.00 $8,865 $8,865 $0 $0
NEBRASKA $9,447 $9,447 $9,447 $0 13.5% 1.00 $9,447 $9,447 $0 $0
NEVADA $7,202 $7,391 $8,315 $924 14.3% 1.00 $7,202 $8,315 $0 $924
NEW HAMPSHIRE $10,304 $10,304 $10,304 $0 9.8% 1.00 $10,304 $10,304 $0 $0
NEW JERSEY $14,842 $11,087 $11,087 $0 14.9% 1.00 $14,842 $11,087 $0 $0
NEW MEXICO $7,882 $7,882 $8,315 $433 23.3% 1.29 $10,164 $10,164 $1,849 $2,282
NEW YORK $15,498 $11,087 $11,087 $0 20.8% 1.15 $17,818 $11,087 $0 $0
NORTH CAROLINA $7,505 $7,505 $8,315 $810 19.4% 1.07 $8,044 $8,315 $0 $810
NORTH DAKOTA $8,309 $8,309 $8,315 $6 12.0% 1.00 $8,309 $8,315 $0 $6
OHIO $9,634 $9,634 $9,634 $0 17.3% 1.00 $9,634 $9,634 $0 $0
OKLAHOMA $6,786 $7,391 $8,315 $924 19.8% 1.10 $7,438 $8,315 $0 $924
OREGON $8,694 $8,694 $8,694 $0 16.8% 1.00 $8,694 $8,694 $0 $0
PENNSYLVANIA $10,997 $10,997 $10,997 $0 17.3% 1.00 $10,997 $10,997 $0 $0
RHODE ISLAND $13,410 $11,087 $11,087 $0 18.0% 1.00 $13,410 $11,087 $0 $0
SOUTH CAROLINA $8,166 $8,166 $8,315 $149 20.7% 1.14 $9,335 $9,335 $1,020 $1,169
SOUTH DAKOTA $7,678 $7,678 $8,315 $637 15.2% 1.00 $7,678 $8,315 $0 $637
TENNESSEE $6,754 $7,391 $8,315 $924 19.7% 1.09 $7,362 $8,315 $0 $924
TEXAS $7,554 $7,554 $8,315 $761 22.8% 1.26 $9,520 $9,520 $1,205 $1,966
UTAH $5,521 $7,391 $8,315 $924 10.1% 1.00 $5,521 $8,315 $0 $924
VERMONT $12,739 $11,087 $11,087 $0 12.3% 1.00 $12,739 $11,087 $0 $0
VIRGINIA $9,618 $9,618 $9,618 $0 12.1% 1.00 $9,618 $9,618 $0 $0
WASHINGTON $8,170 $8,170 $8,315 $145 14.2% 1.00 $8,170 $8,315 $0 $145
WEST VIRGINIA $9,232 $9,232 $9,232 $0 23.1% 1.27 $11,757 $11,087 $1,855 $1,855
WISCONSIN $9,981 $9,981 $9,981 $0 13.9% 1.00 $9,981 $9,981 $0 $0
WYOMING $11,820 $11,087 $11,087 $0 11.6% 1.00 $11,820 $11,087 $0 $0