Cost of Education: Then and Now

The economics of education has always loomed as a double-edged swordfor baby boomers. Investing in a good education is the best way ofpreparing for a child’s future. But, how do boomer parents, who range in age from about 34 to 51, find all the money to get their child that valuable education in the first place?

Books, backpacks and binders. Paper, pens and pencils. Not to mentionthe possibility of a brand-new pair of black shoes. Everything that goes into the September ritual of back-to-school ends up burning a big hole in the family budget. Moreover, the increasing necessity ofincluding the Internet and CD-ROMs in school curriculum means a new home computer or portable laptop may very well be added to the list in the near future.

Governments feel the expense as well. Education consumes the majority of California’s budget, according to State Controller Kathleen Connell. About 40 cents of every dollar goes to K-12 public education and another 12 cents goes to higher education. Baby boomers now have their own babies and the majority of them are in elementary school. The explosion in the number of children seeking seats in public schools is already being felt by the overwhelmed Los Angeles Unified School District. As graying boomers nationwide struggle to put their children through school and worry about saving for college, it seems somewhat nostalgic to take a look back and see how the cost of education has changed since the days when wearing bobby sox and carrying a canvas 3-ring binder were all that mattered.

Expenditures

Dollars spent for public education have jumped rapidly in past four decades:

(in billions)

1959-60: $15.60

1969-70: $40.70

1979-80: $96

1989-90: $211.70

*

Expenditure per pupil in public elementary and secondary schools:

1959-60

Nationwide: $375

California: $424

1969-70

Nationwide: $816

California: $867

1994-95

Nationwide: $5,988

California: $4,992

*

Total expenditures for 1995-96 (in billions):

Employee benefits: $4.5 (15%0

Teachers’ salaries: $11 (36.5%)

Classified salaries: $4.9 (16.3%)

Operating expenses: $2.9 (9.6%)

All other certified salaries: $2.2 (7.3%)

Capital outlay: $2.1 (7%)

Books and supplies: $1.7 (5.6%)

Other expenses: $0.8 (2.7%)

*

School Supplies

1958

Pack of 200 Filler Paper: $0.33

Bulletin Board: $1.98

Vinyl Case 3-ring Binders: $0.76

Leatherette 3-ring binder: $1.49

3-Ring Leather Zipper binder: $1.37

3-ring canvas binder: $0.48

Theme Book: $0.69

Pencil Box : $0.98

Eberhard Noblot Pen: $0.29

Canvas Bookbag (waterproof double handles): $2.59

Dictionary: $1.49

1998

Bulletin Board: $5.00

Nylon Binders: $7.50

Mead Five Star Notebook: $3.00

Pilot Pen: $1.50

Jansport Backpack: $14.00

Attendance

Average daily attendance for California school districts:

1958-59

Los Angeles Unified: 267,935

Other Unified: 628,705

Elementary: 1,486,278

High School: 668,361

Junior College: 96,027

Common Administration: n/a

TOTAL: 3,147,306

1995-96

Los Angeles Unified: 1,285,764

Other Unified: 2,431,267

Elementary: 1,128,775

High School: 461,069

Junior College: n/a

Common Administration: 87,740

TOTAL: 5,394,615

Salary

Average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools:

*--*

ALL Elementary Secondary 1959-1960 $4,995 $4,815 $5,276 1996-1997 $38,509 $37,969 $39,310

*--*

Average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools in California:

1969-1970: $10,315

1996-1997: $43,474

Sources: U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Eduation Statistics, California State Controller; Researched by MARGARET RAMIREZ / Los Angeles Times