The Tennessee State Department of Education has a great web-site. They have a statistics link One of the links under statistics is the 2003-2004 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 97 County and/or City School systems now spend more per student in the the State Of Tennessee than our county does.
| AVERAGE | TOTAL | OPERATING | |||
| CURRENT EXPENDITURE | DAILY | OPERATING | EXPENDITURES | ||
| PER ADA | ATTENDANCE*** | EXPENDITURES** | PER PUPIL ADA | ||
| 1 | ) | OAK RIDGE | 4,106 | $41,192,156 | $10,032 |
| 2 | ) | *FRANKLIN | 3,581 | $33,745,550 | $9,424 |
| 3 | ) | ALCOA | 1,241 | $11,114,914 | $8,959 |
| 4 | ) | DAVIDSON COUNTY | 65,107 | $578,502,437 | $8,885 |
| 5 | ) | MEMPHIS | 106,536 | $886,977,547 | $8,326 |
| 6 | ) | KINGSPORT | 6,008 | $48,478,261 | $8,070 |
| 7 | ) | GREENEVILLE | 2,553 | $20,578,790 | $8,059 |
| 8 | ) | ATHENS | 1,598 | $12,839,157 | $8,037 |
| 9 | ) | MARYVILLE | 4,411 | $35,046,760 | $7,945 |
| 10 | ) | BRISTOL | 3,420 | $26,764,843 | $7,827 |
| 11 | ) | HAMILTON COUNTY | 37,439 | $292,272,421 | $7,807 |
| 12 | ) | FAYETTE COUNTY | 3,204 | $24,930,676 | $7,781 |
| 13 | ) | LAKE COUNTY | 837 | $6,497,119 | $7,760 |
| 14 | ) | MANCHESTER | 1,117 | $8,605,460 | $7,706 |
| 15 | ) | JOHNSON COUNTY | 2,157 | $16,396,677 | $7,602 |
| 16 | ) | HANCOCK COUNTY | 958 | $7,249,284 | $7,568 |
| 17 | ) | DYERSBURG | 3,358 | $25,391,039 | $7,561 |
| 18 | ) | UNION CITY | 1,315 | $9,834,835 | $7,477 |
| 19 | ) | MADISON COUNTY | 12,839 | $95,690,397 | $7,453 |
| 20 | ) | ELIZABETHTON | 1,936 | $14,425,353 | $7,452 |
| 21 | ) | CLEVELAND | 4,075 | $30,265,260 | $7,427 |
| 22 | ) | BENTON COUNTY | 2,320 | $17,015,307 | $7,334 |
| 23 | ) | GRUNDY COUNTY | 2,097 | $15,373,777 | $7,331 |
| 24 | ) | HARDEMAN COUNTY | 4,217 | $30,833,099 | $7,311 |
| 25 | ) | JOHNSON CITY | 6,534 | $47,477,608 | $7,267 |
| 26 | ) | DYER COUNTY | 3,039 | $22,037,272 | $7,253 |
| 27 | ) | CLAIBORNE COUNTY | 4,335 | $31,145,991 | $7,185 |
| 28 | ) | WAYNE COUNTY | 2,419 | $17,171,180 | $7,097 |
| 29 | ) | TULLAHOMA | 3,437 | $24,173,878 | $7,034 |
| 30 | ) | SCOTT COUNTY | 2,464 | $17,310,232 | $7,026 |
| 31 | ) | WILLIAMSON COUNTY | 20,991 | $147,303,775 | $7,017 |
| 32 | ) | ANDERSON COUNTY | 6,411 | $44,825,419 | $6,992 |
| 33 | ) | MURFREESBORO | 5,719 | $39,830,016 | $6,964 |
| 34 | ) | CLAY COUNTY | 1,107 | $7,695,803 | $6,954 |
| 35 | ) | DECATUR COUNTY | 1,427 | $9,902,654 | $6,942 |
| 36 | ) | MOORE COUNTY | 912 | $6,303,408 | $6,912 |
| 37 | ) | ALAMO | 467 | $3,218,163 | $6,895 |
| 38 | ) | FRANKLIN COUNTY | 5,419 | $37,163,885 | $6,858 |
| 39 | ) | PICKETT COUNTY | 660 | $4,526,485 | $6,854 |
| 40 | ) | CLINTON | 860 | $5,889,261 | $6,850 |
| 41 | ) | BLEDSOE COUNTY | 1,685 | $11,492,128 | $6,820 |
| 42 | ) | CARTER COUNTY | 5,453 | $37,161,981 | $6,814 |
| 43 | ) | VAN BUREN COUNTY | 740 | $5,029,236 | $6,796 |
| 44 | ) | *ONEIDA | 1,193 | $8,089,214 | $6,779 |
| 45 | ) | HUMBOLDT | 1,431 | $9,697,660 | $6,775 |
| 46 | ) | KNOX COUNTY | 49,591 | $334,077,218 | $6,737 |
| 47 | ) | ROANE COUNTY | 6,923 | $46,575,562 | $6,727 |
| 48 | ) | LENOIR CITY | 1,964 | $13,205,825 | $6,723 |
| 49 | ) | HAYWOOD COUNTY | 3,297 | $22,160,062 | $6,720 |
| 50 | ) | ROGERSVILLE | 614 | $4,122,669 | $6,718 |
| 51 | ) | SULLIVAN COUNTY | 11,763 | $78,899,166 | $6,707 |
| 52 | ) | SEVIER COUNTY | 12,220 | $81,538,627 | $6,673 |
| 53 | ) | HENDERSON COUNTY | 3,119 | $20,780,922 | $6,663 |
| 54 | ) | PERRY COUNTY | 1,076 | $7,136,783 | $6,632 |
| 55 | ) | MAURY COUNTY | 10,471 | $69,437,370 | $6,631 |
| 56 | ) | UNION COUNTY | 2,835 | $18,788,081 | $6,628 |
| 57 | ) | JACKSON COUNTY | 1,568 | $10,277,247 | $6,554 |
| 58 | ) | HAWKINS COUNTY | 6,791 | $44,326,781 | $6,527 |
| 59 | ) | RHEA COUNTY | 3,406 | $22,231,997 | $6,526 |
| 60 | ) | HENRY COUNTY | 2,976 | $19,376,453 | $6,510 |
| 61 | ) | MORGAN COUNTY | 3,046 | $19,822,222 | $6,507 |
| 62 | ) | WILSON COUNTY | 11,806 | $76,706,353 | $6,497 |
| 63 | ) | HARDIN COUNTY | 3,536 | $22,950,280 | $6,490 |
| 64 | ) | LEXINGTON | 973 | $6,312,732 | $6,489 |
| 65 | ) | SHELBY COUNTY | 44,546 | $288,592,811 | $6,479 |
| 66 | ) | SWEETWATER | 1,353 | $8,754,669 | $6,469 |
| 67 | ) | FENTRESS COUNTY | 2,121 | $13,718,194 | $6,467 |
| 68 | ) | HAMBLEN COUNTY | 8,596 | $55,427,771 | $6,448 |
| 69 | ) | NEWPORT | 673 | $4,335,513 | $6,442 |
| 70 | ) | *LEBANON | 2,874 | $18,459,982 | $6,424 |
| 71 | ) | MARSHALL COUNTY | 4,610 | $29,611,497 | $6,424 |
| 72 | ) | WARREN COUNTY | 5,539 | $35,500,532 | $6,409 |
| 73 | ) | ROBERTSON COUNTY | 9,137 | $58,484,766 | $6,401 |
| 74 | ) | DEKALB COUNTY | 2,415 | $15,458,281 | $6,401 |
| 75 | ) | DAYTON | 670 | $4,286,499 | $6,395 |
| 76 | ) | COFFEE COUNTY | 3,872 | $24,611,712 | $6,356 |
| 77 | ) | STEWART COUNTY | 1,978 | $12,545,159 | $6,342 |
| 78 | ) | LOUDON COUNTY | 4,581 | $28,999,243 | $6,331 |
| 79 | ) | BLOUNT COUNTY | 10,328 | $65,188,074 | $6,312 |
| 80 | ) | CAMPBELL COUNTY | 5,733 | $36,181,751 | $6,311 |
| 81 | ) | ETOWAH | 365 | $2,303,184 | $6,305 |
| 82 | ) | COCKE COUNTY | 4,437 | $27,963,315 | $6,302 |
| 83 | ) | SEQUATCHIE COUNTY | 1,810 | $11,341,438 | $6,266 |
| 84 | ) | CANNON COUNTY | 2,030 | $12,714,740 | $6,264 |
| 85 | ) | DICKSON COUNTY | 7,682 | $48,086,585 | $6,260 |
| 86 | ) | GILES COUNTY | 4,219 | $26,375,103 | $6,251 |
| 87 | ) | MONROE COUNTY | 4,881 | $30,504,158 | $6,249 |
| 88 | ) | POLK COUNTY | 2,354 | $14,699,310 | $6,244 |
| 89 | ) | GRAINGER COUNTY | 3,099 | $19,312,569 | $6,232 |
| 90 | ) | MONTGOMERY COUNTY | 23,600 | $147,047,154 | $6,231 |
| 91 | ) | LAUDERDALE COUNTY | 4,295 | $26,629,616 | $6,200 |
| 92 | ) | PUTNAM COUNTY | 9,302 | $57,525,654 | $6,184 |
| 93 | ) | LAWRENCE COUNTY | 6,345 | $39,199,180 | $6,178 |
| 94 | ) | SUMNER COUNTY | 22,804 | $140,517,834 | $6,162 |
| 95 | ) | CROCKETT COUNTY | 1,648 | $10,119,808 | $6,139 |
| 96 | ) | OBION COUNTY | 3,784 | $23,214,310 | $6,135 |
| 97 | ) | UNICOI COUNTY | 2,361 | $14,479,501 | $6,134 |
| 98 | ) | RUTHERFORD COUNTY | 27,902 | $171,106,422 | $6,132 |
| 99 | ) | *PARIS | 1,418 | $8,693,727 | $6,132 |
| 100 | ) | BELLS | 376 | $2,301,913 | $6,127 |
| 101 | ) | HOUSTON COUNTY | 1,353 | $8,278,699 | $6,119 |
| 102 | ) | HUMPHREYS COUNTY | 2,854 | $17,452,558 | $6,115 |
| 103 | ) | JEFFERSON COUNTY | 6,629 | $40,517,602 | $6,112 |
| 104 | ) | *RICHARD CITY | 326 | $1,990,624 | $6,106 |
| 105 | ) | LINCOLN COUNTY | 3,769 | $23,000,222 | $6,103 |
| 106 | ) | MARION COUNTY | 3,838 | $23,276,841 | $6,065 |
| 107 | ) | FAYETTEVILLE | 956 | $5,789,477 | $6,057 |
| 108 | ) | *MILAN | 1,931 | $11,691,125 | $6,054 |
| 109 | ) | WASHINGTON COUNTY | 8,149 | $49,288,688 | $6,048 |
| 110 | ) | MCNAIRY COUNTY | 3,916 | $23,630,241 | $6,034 |
| 111 | ) | OVERTON COUNTY | 3,083 | $18,535,826 | $6,012 |
| 112 | ) | HICKMAN COUNTY | 3,609 | $21,690,597 | $6,011 |
| 113 | ) | *HOLLOW ROCK-BR | 727 | $4,313,702 | $5,936 |
| 114 | ) | *BRADFORD | 601 | $3,567,147 | $5,931 |
| 115 | ) | LEWIS COUNTY | 1,869 | $11,085,662 | $5,931 |
| 116 | ) | MCMINN COUNTY | 5,451 | $32,212,435 | $5,909 |
| 117 | ) | MACON COUNTY | 3,400 | $20,019,510 | $5,888 |
| 118 | ) | GREENE COUNTY | 6,606 | $38,850,721 | $5,881 |
| 119 | ) | TROUSDALE COUNTY | 1,216 | $7,126,653 | $5,859 |
| 120 | ) | *W. CARROLL | 1,029 | $5,976,312 | $5,809 |
| 121 | ) | MEIGS COUNTY | 1,740 | $10,095,895 | $5,803 |
| 122 | ) | CHEATHAM COUNTY | 6,524 | $37,816,222 | $5,797 |
| 123 | ) | *TRENTON | 1,370 | $7,903,578 | $5,770 |
| 124 | ) | TIPTON COUNTY | 10,482 | $60,346,340 | $5,757 |
| 125 | ) | BRADLEY COUNTY | 8,558 | $49,170,272 | $5,745 |
| 126 | ) | WEAKLEY COUNTY | 4,591 | $26,379,471 | $5,745 |
| 127 | ) | CUMBERLAND COUNTY | 6,613 | $37,947,835 | $5,738 |
| 128 | ) | *HUNTINGDON | 1,265 | $7,120,471 | $5,629 |
| 129 | ) | *S. CARROLL | 394 | $2,210,238 | $5,607 |
| 130 | ) | SMITH COUNTY | 3,010 | $16,716,951 | $5,555 |
| 131 | ) | BEDFORD COUNTY | 6,427 | $35,388,916 | $5,507 |
| 132 | ) | *GIBSON CO. SPEC. | 2,552 | $13,914,035 | $5,453 |
| 133 | ) | *MCKENZIE | 1,251 | $6,787,101 | $5,424 |
| 134 | ) | WHITE COUNTY | 3,711 | $20,097,008 | $5,416 |
| 135 | ) | CHESTER COUNTY | 2,389 | $12,791,359 | $5,354 |
| 136 | ) | CARROLL COUNTY | 8 | $2,979,339 | n/a |
| 137 | ) | GIBSON COUNTY | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| AVERAGE | 857,047 | $5,996,444,360 | $6,997 | ||
| * 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. | |||||