Florida Education Facts and Figures

The Census Bureau provides a summary of education finances for each state. The Year 2000 Public Education Finances Report provides tables showing K-12 revenue and expenditures for each state, as well as population, enrollment, and personal income.

I have collected data from this census report and prepared several documents showing Florida's per-person taxes for K-12 eduction:

An Excel spreadsheet showing actual per-person taxes and percentage of income paid for K-12 education.
A PDF file showing that same information.

The census data show that Floridians pay 3.85% of their income in state and local taxes for K-12 education. The state of Florida ranks 47th in the nation by this measure. We are taxed at a rate lower than 46 other states in the nation.

If we look at the absolute dollar amount paid per person in Florida for state and local taxes for K-12 education ($1,011.13), we rank 43rd in the Nation. Of those states ranking below us in this measure, only Tennesseeans pays a lower percentage of income on school taxes.

That fact that Florida ranks 46th in the nation in per-pupil instructional expenditures is a result of lower than average revenue.