Once school districts receive money from local, state and federal sources they must spend it on the people, tools, and facilities necessary to educate children. While every district is different, spending falls into three main categories: Instruction, Support Services, and Facilities & Debt.
1. Instruction: The Classroom (43%)
The most important job of a school district is the hiring and retention of qualified, student-centered teachers. This is the largest single area of district spending, accounting for about 43 cents of every dollar.
- Teachers and Aides: This pays the salaries and benefits of classroom teachers, special education teachers, and classroom assistants/aids.
- Classroom Tools: This includes textbooks, computers, software, science equipment, and basic supplies like paper and pencils.
2. Support Services: Helping Students (37%)
School districts do more than just teach reading and math. About 37 cents of every dollar of the budget goes to services that keep the school running and help students stay healthy and safe.
- Student Health & Safety: This pays for guidance counselors, school nurses, speech therapists, and security staff.
- Transportation: This covers the cost of school buses, fuel, drivers, and mechanics to get students to school.
- Food Services: This funds the cafeteria staff and the cost of food for breakfast and lunch programs.
- Administration: This pays for school principals who lead and manage all building operations and staff, and district leaders (superintendents) who lead all facets of school district operations and staff, including the district’s budget.
- Building Operations: This includes paying the bills for electricity and heating, as well as the custodial staff who keep the buildings clean.
3. Capital & Debt: Buildings and Bills (20%)
The remaining 20 cents of every dollar usually separate from the daily “classroom” budget is used for major projects and paying back loans.
- Capital Projects: This money is used to build new schools, fix roofs, or buy expensive technology and buses.
- Debt Service: Just like a family pays a mortgage on a house, school districts pay back money they borrowed to build, maintain, upgrade, and improve their school buildings. A significant portion of this bucket goes toward paying the principal and interest on these loans.
Summary: It’s Mostly About People
While the budget is split into different categories, the vast majority of the money—often more than 55% of the total budget and up to 80% of the operating budget—is spent on people. Whether it is for instruction or support services, funding public education is primarily about funding the staff who serve Missouri students.