What it measures
Dimension: Overall academic achievement, attainment, and participation
This indicator shows the amount of money spent by governments on public elementary and high school students. Expenditures are listed in constant dollars. This means that we can compare dollars spent from one year to another, accounting for inflation. Slowly but steadily, the average has risen by nearly four dollars over the past two decades.
Why this matters
To some extent, this indicator represents access to educational resources and the importance placed by government on educational attainment when faced with multiple competing demands for funding from different sectors. Consequently, higher public expenditures per student are viewed as an indicator of prioritizing and valuing educational opportunities for all students.