Supporting Effective Teaching in Tennessee: Executive Summary | Page 43
Funding and Resources
correlation between per pupil spending and average teacher
There is wide variation in the resources available to each school
salary, as the scatterplot in Figure 4.4 illustrates, with higher per
district in the state. While the state attempts to ensure each
pupil spending in a district being aligned
district has at least a minimal level of
with a higher average teacher salary.
funding through the BEP formula, both
the federal and local governments play a
Despite this strong relationship between
significant role in determining the precise
per pupil spending and average teacher
level of funding a district has available. For
T h ere is very l itt l e
salary, there is very little correlation
example, the more students a district has
between per pupil spending and any
eligible for federal programs such as Title
corre l atio n b etwee n
measure of student achievement or
I and IDEA, the more federal money it
education attainment, as the scatterplots
will receive. Also, local governments vary
per p u pi l spe n d i n g
in Figure 4.5 illustrate. This is consistent
widely in the resources they devote to
with research on the effects of per pupil
K-12 education, with wealthier districts
a n d a n y m e a s u re o f
spending on student achievement which
generally providing more resources.
finds there is not an automatic link
st u d e n t ac h ieve m e n t.
between increased per pupil spending and
While the average per pupil expenditure
increased student achievement. While it is
in the state is $8,345, per pupil spending
important that schools and districts have
ranges from $6,296 in Gibson County
access to the appropriate and necessary
to $11,794 in Oak Ridge. There is also
resources, simply giving districts more
wide variation in average teacher salary
money will not automatically lead to improvements in
across the state. While the average teacher salary in the state is
$44,820, average teacher salaries range from $37,971 in Gibson
educational outcomes.
County to $56,641 in Oak Ridge. There is generally a high
Figure 4.4
Relationship Between Per Pupil Expenditures and Average Teachers Salary by District, 2007-08
Source: Tennessee Department of Education; Tennessee Education Association
42
T h e S t a t e o f E d u c a t i o n i n T e n n e ss e e