The Tennessee State Department of Education has a great web-site. They have a statistics link One of the links under statistics is the 2002-2003 Statistical Report. I 'saved-as' Table 47a - Current Expenditures Per Average Daily Membership and sorted it by Operating Expenditures Per Pupil ADA to find out where Rutherford County and Murfreesboro ranked in the state.
Please note I moved the comment at the bottom of the state's web-page to the top. In all fairness, I do not know if this chart is truly indicative of each county's local government's commitment to education. Some counties may pay lower teacher salaries than others. Others may have far more transportation expenses than others. I am not an accountant or a school superintendent or a journalist but the way I understand the comments these dollars represent county dollars for educating a student in a classroom. Federal and State dollars are excluded (I think I have that right.)
OUR Rutherford County Commissioners took five cents of the Rutherford County School Board's share of the property taxes and transferred it to the general fund for the 1998-1999 fiscal year. Since The County Commission voted 14-7 to not give them the five cents back or any other increase for the 1999-2000 fiscal year we went from 62nd in the state in '97-'98 to 64th in '98-'99 to 68th in '01 to 74th in '02 Want to know more? A History of Our County's Wheel Tax
| AVERAGE | TOTAL | OPERATING | ||
| CURRENT EXPENDITURE | DAILY | OPERATING | EXPENDITURES | |
| PER ADA | ATTENDANCE*** | EXPENDITURES** | PER PUPIL ADA | |
| 1 | OAK RIDGE | 4,130 | $38,457,323 | $9,312 |
| 2 | *FRANKLIN | 3,618 | $31,789,872 | $8,787 |
| 3 | ALCOA | 1,266 | $10,846,016 | $8,564 |
| 4 | GREENEVILLE | 2,523 | $20,648,950 | $8,184 |
| 5 | DAVIDSON COUNTY | 64,077 | $518,698,378 | $8,095 |
| 6 | MEMPHIS | 107,355 | $844,377,516 | $7,865 |
| 7 | BRISTOL | 3,394 | $26,482,176 | $7,803 |
| 8 | KINGSPORT | 6,038 | $46,214,737 | $7,654 |
| 9 | MARYVILLE | 4,267 | $31,823,426 | $7,458 |
| 10 | UNION CITY | 1,329 | $9,706,193 | $7,303 |
| 11 | HARRIMAN | 1,215 | $8,826,321 | $7,264 |
| 12 | FAYETTE COUNTY | 3,196 | $23,156,979 | $7,247 |
| 13 | HAMILTON COUNTY | 37,971 | $274,489,129 | $7,229 |
| 14 | LAKE COUNTY | 814 | $5,818,903 | $7,147 |
| 15 | DYER COUNTY | 2,995 | $21,314,927 | $7,118 |
| 16 | COVINGTON | 832 | $5,914,917 | $7,113 |
| 17 | CLEVELAND | 4,054 | $28,789,680 | $7,102 |
| 18 | ATHENS | 1,595 | $11,230,992 | $7,041 |
| 19 | MADISON COUNTY | 12,876 | $90,538,082 | $7,031 |
| 20 | WILLIAMSON COUNTY | 20,111 | $140,281,164 | $6,975 |
| 21 | ELIZABETHTON | 1,979 | $13,777,923 | $6,963 |
| 22 | CLINTON | 885 | $6,161,297 | $6,962 |
| 23 | HANCOCK COUNTY | 993 | $6,828,178 | $6,876 |
| 24 | MURFREESBORO | 5,541 | $37,976,634 | $6,853 |
| 25 | MOORE COUNTY | 882 | $6,038,779 | $6,846 |
| 26 | BENTON COUNTY | 2,338 | $15,971,690 | $6,832 |
| 27 | JOHNSON COUNTY | 2,155 | $14,617,932 | $6,782 |
| 28 | CLAIBORNE COUNTY | 4,287 | $29,062,589 | $6,779 |
| 29 | JOHNSON CITY | 6,505 | $44,033,979 | $6,770 |
| 30 | HUMBOLDT | 1,471 | $9,954,645 | 6,765 |
| 31 | SCOTT COUNTY | 2,454 | $16,548,256 | $6,745 |
| 32 | PICKETT COUNTY | 668 | $4,494,850 | $6,734 |
| 33 | MANCHESTER | 1,151 | $7,732,144 | $6,719 |
| 34 | TULLAHOMA | 3,415 | $22,934,154 | $6,716 |
| 35 | SULLIVAN COUNTY | 11,796 | $79,196,745 | $6,714 |
| 36 | DECATUR COUNTY | 1,429 | $9,525,943 | $6,667 |
| 37 | WAYNE COUNTY | 2,468 | $16,419,241 | $6,654 |
| 38 | GRUNDY COUNTY | 2,110 | $14,004,763 | $6,639 |
| 39 | ANDERSON COUNTY | 6,533 | $43,343,588 | $6,635 |
| 40 | LENOIR CITY | 1,908 | $12,557,114 | $6,580 |
| 41 | KNOX COUNTY | 48,862 | $320,882,955 | $6,567 |
| 42 | MAURY COUNTY | 10,547 | $69,143,136 | $6,556 |
| 43 | PERRY COUNTY | 1,083 | $7,092,442 | $6,552 |
| 44 | HAYWOOD COUNTY | 3,327 | $21,744,025 | $6,536 |
| 45 | DYERSBURG | 3,304 | $21,478,547 | $6,501 |
| 46 | *ONEIDA | 1,208 | $7,831,572 | $6,482 |
| 47 | SEVIER COUNTY | 11,881 | $76,937,893 | $6,475 |
| 48 | CARTER COUNTY | 5,508 | $35,424,764 | $6,431 |
| 49 | FRANKLIN COUNTY | 5,452 | $35,043,803 | $6,428 |
| 50 | ROANE COUNTY | 5,571 | $35,566,452 | $6,384 |
| 51 | HAMBLEN COUNTY | 8,401 | $53,505,763 | $6,369 |
| 52 | HARDEMAN COUNTY | 4,250 | $26,944,185 | $6,340 |
| 53 | BLOUNT COUNTY | 10,163 | $64,373,190 | $6,334 |
| 54 | SHELBY COUNTY | 42,941 | $271,473,479 | $6,322 |
| 55 | WILSON COUNTY | 11,442 | $71,824,854 | $6,277 |
| 56 | BLEDSOE COUNTY | 1,664 | $10,323,810 | $6,204 |
| 57 | ALAMO | 484 | $2,997,923 | $6,198 |
| 58 | ROBERTSON COUNTY | 8,909 | $55,207,320 | $6,197 |
| 59 | HENRY COUNTY | 2,971 | $18,400,111 | $6,192 |
| 60 | VAN BUREN COUNTY | 738 | $4,560,952 | $6,177 |
| 61 | NEWPORT | 663 | $4,077,141 | $6,147 |
| 62 | MARSHALL COUNTY | 4,571 | $28,092,650 | $6,145 |
| 63 | JACKSON COUNTY | 1,578 | $9,683,425 | $6,136 |
| 64 | HENDERSON COUNTY | 3,247 | $19,894,300 | $6,127 |
| 65 | DICKSON COUNTY | 7,608 | $46,576,544 | $6,122 |
| 66 | *LEBANON | 2,811 | $17,182,037 | $6,113 |
| 67 | PUTNAM COUNTY | 9,023 | $55,128,081 | $6,110 |
| 68 | ETOWAH | 359 | $2,193,427 | $6,107 |
| 69 | FAYETTEVILLE | 968 | $5,898,532 | $6,091 |
| 70 | SWEETWATER | 1,348 | $8,194,069 | $6,078 |
| 71 | ROGERSVILLE | 616 | $3,729,791 | $6,057 |
| 72 | COFFEE COUNTY | 3,886 | $23,530,351 | $6,054 |
| 73 | STEWART COUNTY | 1,963 | $11,883,661 | $6,054 |
| 74 | HARDIN COUNTY | 3,569 | $21,594,739 | $6,050 |
| 75 | CAMPBELL COUNTY | 5,657 | $34,193,899 | $6,045 |
| 76 | LOUDON COUNTY | 4,593 | $27,756,427 | $6,044 |
| 77 | HAWKINS COUNTY | 6,736 | $40,680,050 | $6,039 |
| 78 | CLAY COUNTY | 1,153 | $6,939,928 | $6,019 |
| 79 | WASHINGTON COUNTY | 8,035 | $48,273,899 | $6,008 |
| 80 | LEXINGTON | 935 | $5,599,238 | $5,991 |
| 81 | WARREN COUNTY | 5,743 | $34,385,152 | $5,987 |
| 82 | GILES COUNTY | 4,249 | $25,433,410 | $5,986 |
| 83 | MONROE COUNTY | 4,784 | $28,570,812 | $5,972 |
| 84 | BELLS | 373 | $2,219,665 | $5,948 |
| 85 | GRAINGER COUNTY | 3,054 | $18,162,973 | $5,947 |
| 86 | FENTRESS COUNTY | 2,168 | $12,882,178 | $5,943 |
| 87 | POLK COUNTY | 2,368 | $14,033,468 | $5,927 |
| 88 | LINCOLN COUNTY | 3,744 | $22,150,720 | $5,916 |
| 89 | JEFFERSON COUNTY | 6,530 | $38,633,916 | $5,916 |
| 90 | *PARIS | 1,382 | $8,146,422 | $5,894 |
| 91 | OBION COUNTY | 3,799 | $22,377,370 | $5,890 |
| 92 | RUTHERFORD COUNTY | 26,584 | $156,474,350 | $5,886 |
| 93 | MORGAN COUNTY | 3,031 | $17,808,047 | $5,876 |
| 94 | LAWRENCE COUNTY | 6,326 | $37,150,102 | $5,872 |
| 95 | COCKE COUNTY | 4,413 | $25,909,866 | $5,872 |
| 96 | SUMNER COUNTY | 22,285 | $130,588,074 | $5,860 |
| 97 | UNION COUNTY | 2,850 | $16,663,052 | $5,848 |
| 98 | TROUSDALE COUNTY | 1,198 | $7,002,037 | $5,846 |
| 99 | MARION COUNTY | 3,791 | $22,162,344 | $5,846 |
| 100 | *BRADFORD | 597 | $3,482,094 | $5,831 |
| 101 | LAUDERDALE COUNTY | 4,330 | $25,201,926 | $5,820 |
| 102 | HOUSTON COUNTY | 1,340 | $7,795,432 | $5,820 |
| 103 | HUMPHREYS COUNTY | 2,868 | $16,672,111 | $5,814 |
| 104 | OVERTON COUNTY | 3,024 | $17,567,555 | $5,809 |
| 105 | MONTGOMERY COUNTY | 23,274 | $134,209,178 | $5,766 |
| 106 | UNICOI COUNTY | 2,329 | $13,354,939 | $5,733 |
| 107 | DAYTON | 671 | $3,836,391 | $5,717 |
| 108 | MACON COUNTY | 3,382 | $19,306,797 | $5,709 |
| 109 | CANNON COUNTY | 2,000 | $11,411,001 | $5,705 |
| 110 | DEKALB COUNTY | 2,452 | $13,920,544 | $5,678 |
| 111 | *S. CARROLL | 375 | $2,120,686 | $5,659 |
| 112 | CUMBERLAND COUNTY | 6,423 | $36,344,490 | $5,658 |
| 113 | CROCKETT COUNTY | 1,657 | $9,355,125 | $5,645 |
| 114 | *MILAN | 1,912 | $10,769,044 | $5,633 |
| 115 | TIPTON COUNTY | 9,506 | $53,470,610 | $5,625 |
| 116 | GREENE COUNTY | 6,540 | $36,696,371 | $5,611 |
| 117 | MCNAIRY COUNTY | 3,900 | $21,833,096 | $5,598 |
| 118 | SEQUATCHIE COUNTY | 1,793 | $10,033,857 | $5,596 |
| 119 | BRADLEY COUNTY | 8,424 | $46,930,435 | $5,571 |
| 120 | MCMINN COUNTY | 5,489 | $30,508,920 | $5,558 |
| 121 | MEIGS COUNTY | 1,734 | $9,552,954 | $5,511 |
| 122 | *TRENTON | 1,394 | $7,659,919 | $5,496 |
| 123 | BEDFORD COUNTY | 6,186 | $33,973,309 | $5,492 |
| 124 | CHEATHAM COUNTY | 6,490 | $35,595,342 | $5,485 |
| 125 | *RICHARD CITY | 319 | $1,747,833 | $5,477 |
| 126 | *HOLLOW ROCK-BR | 734 | $4,011,692 | $5,462 |
| 127 | HICKMAN COUNTY | 3,646 | $19,891,011 | $5,455 |
| 128 | WEAKLEY COUNTY | 4,678 | $25,293,531 | $5,407 |
| 129 | *HUNTINGDON | 1,271 | $6,814,428 | $5,362 |
| 130 | LEWIS COUNTY | 1,879 | $10,019,198 | $5,333 |
| 131 | *W. CARROLL | 1,053 | $5,527,025 | $5,250 |
| 132 | RHEA COUNTY | 3,551 | $18,499,108 | $5,210 |
| 133 | SMITH COUNTY | 3,028 | $15,524,924 | $5,127 |
| 134 | CHESTER COUNTY | 2,321 | $11,756,512 | $5,065 |
| 135 | WHITE COUNTY | 3,663 | $18,533,868 | $5,060 |
| 136 | *MCKENZIE | 1,253 | $6,263,825 | $5,000 |
| 137 | *GIBSON CO. SPEC. | 2,544 | $12,428,912 | $4,886 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 848,508 | $5,386,968,953 | $6,349 | |
| * SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ||||
| **NOTE: TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES INCLUDE: CURRENT EXPENDITURES PER | ||||
| LEA FINANCIAL REPORT (EXCLUDING STUDENT BODY EDUCATION, ADULT EDUCATION); | ||||
| U.S.D.A. COMMODITY VALUE; AND STATE LEVEL PROGRAM AND ADMINISTRATIVE | ||||
| EXPENSES. | ||||
| ***AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE INCLUDES ADULT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. | ||||
| CARROLL COUNTY | 7 | $2,553,499 | N/A | |
| GIBSON COUNTY | N/A | N/A | N/A | |