Search FAIRtax.org

How much do Baltimore taxpayers spend per student?

Baltimore public schools spend more than $17,000 in taxpayer funds per student.

The district ranks No. 3 for the most money spent per student in Maryland, according to a 2019 report from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services.

The $17,493 total spent per pupil is broken down into $1,482 in federal funding, $12,223 in state funding, $3,703 in local funding, and $85 in "miscellaneous" funding.

The total budget for the Baltimore school district is $1.2 billion, 70% of which comes from taxpayer funds, according to Fox 4

Of the 100 largest school districts in the U.S., Baltimore gets the fifth most funding per pupil, a 2020 U.S. Census report shows.

Baltimore has a total of 83,800 enrolled public school students, with 11,273 full-time staff members, 914 certified instructional teachers and 191 total public schools. More than 83% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.

Augusta Fells, a West Baltimore public school that recently came under fire after Fox 45 published an investigation that found scores of students at the school are failing and may have to repeat grades, gets $5.3 million from taxpayers each year, the outlet reported. The investigations have prompted questions about how the school's funds are being spent.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday called for an investigation into the school.