Question:
What percentage of students are transported at public expense and how much does the public spend on transportation on a per pupil basis?
Response:
In 2007–08, some 55 percent of students in public schools were transported at public expense at a cost of $854 per pupil transported, in unadjusted dollars.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Digest of Education Statistics, 2010 (NCES 2011-015), Chapter 2 .
| Public school students transported at public expense and current expenditures for transportation: Selected years, 1980-81 to 2007-08 | ||||||
| School year | Students transported at public expense (number) | Students transported at public expense (percent of total) |
Expenditures for transportation (in thousands)1
[In unadjusted dollars] |
Average expenditure per student transported [In unadjusted dollars] |
Expenditures for transportation (in thousands)1
[In constant 2008-09 dollars] |
Average expenditure per student transported [In constant 2008-09 dollars] |
| 1980-81 | 22,272,000 | 59.1 | $4,408,000 | $198 | $10,923,088 | $490 |
| 1990-91 | 22,000,000 | 57.3 | 8,678,954 | 394 | 13,911,654 | 632 |
| 1997-98 | 24,342,000 | 56.9 | 11,465,658 | 471 | 15,216,797 | 625 |
| 2000-01 | 24,471,000 | 55.5 | 14,052,654 | 574 | 17,228,169 | 704 |
| 2001-02 | 24,529,000 | 55.0 | 14,799,365 | 603 | 17,827,973 | 727 |
| 2002-03 | 24,621,000 | 54.7 | 15,648,821 | 636 | 18,445,892 | 749 |
| 2003-04 | 25,159,000 | 55.5 | 16,348,784 | 650 | 18,858,399 | 750 |
| 2004-05 | 25,318,000 | 55.5 | 17,459,659 | 690 | 19,551,444 | 772 |
| 2005-06 | 25,252,000 | 55.0 | 18,850,234 | 746 | 20,334,252 | 805 |
| 2006-07 | 25,285,000 | 54.8 | 19,979,068 | 790 | 21,008,665 | 831 |
| 2007-08 | 25,221,000 | 54.6 | 21,535,686 | 854 | 21,836,398 | 866 |
1 Excludes capital outlay for years 1990-91 to the latest year. From 1980-81 to 1988-89, total transportation figures include capital outlay.
NOTE: Estimates based on data appearing in January issues of School Bus Fleet for 1980-81 to 2000-01 and for average expenditure per student transported (in unadjusted and constant 2008-09 dollars). All other estimates based on data reported by School Transportation News for 2001-02 onward. Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Digest of Education Statistics, 2010 (NCES 2011-015), Table 184.Related Tables and Figures: (Listed by Release Date)
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