Finance
School finance is reported at the district (LEA) level. The figures below cover the full MESQUITE ISD.
Per-pupil spending (2022)
$14,391
Total district expenditure
$552,280,000
Total district revenue
$514,155,000
District enrollment
38,378
Revenue sources
Federal$76,499,000(14.9%)
State$281,166,000(54.7%)
Local$156,490,000(30.4%)
Spending breakdown
Instruction (teacher salaries, classroom materials)$275,659,000
Support services (admin, transport, building ops)$149,415,000
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, FY 2022. Figures cover the entire district; individual school-level spending is not published.
US public school funding 101
- Local revenue (property taxes) is typically the largest source in most states, though this varies widely.
- State revenue equalization formulas aim to reduce disparities between wealthy and poor districts.
- Federal revenue is usually 6-10% of budget — Title I (poverty), IDEA (special education), ESSER (COVID relief).
- Per-pupil spending varies from under $10,000 to over $30,000 across states; California averages around $15,000, New York around $28,000.