Alaska leads in state funding for schools

A new analysis by the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows Alaska at or near the top in state funding of schools. This is not an apples-to-apples comparison because state funding for schools is different in Alaska than most other states. Alaska's economy is also doing very well relatively.

The study shows Alaska as having the highest change in spending per student, adjusted for inflation, from FY08 to FY12: $1,156. That's the third-highest percent change at 14.6%, after Iowa (17.1%) and oil-booming North Dakota (24.2%). From FY11 to FY12 only nine states increased funding per student on a dollar and percentage basis, and Alaska was not among them with a drop of $130 per student for a -1.4% change.