Louisiana achieves top reading gains while spending far less per student

(The Center Square) − Louisiana spends less per student than most of the country, yet its fourth graders are outperforming peers in nearly every other state.

New data from the Urban Institute ranks Louisiana second in the nation for reading when adjusted for race and income, despite per-pupil spending of just $13,800 – thousands of dollars less than what some states spend.

Spending data is sourced from the World Population Review.

By comparison, Vermont spends $33,000 per student but ranks 46th, and Connecticut spends $25,000 yet lands at 13th. Other small, high-spending states like Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Alaska all exceed $20,000 per student but trail far behind Louisiana in the Institute’s rankings.

Oregon, Maine, North Dakota, Delaware, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana,

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