9th District school spending in Hamilton County, Tennessee
How much do we spend on students in Hamilton County? The Tennessee Department of Education estimates that our school system spent $9,728 per student in the 2014–15 school year.
However, that districtwide estimate does not take into account spending variations between schools. The Metro Ideas Project spent the past four months examining school spending data to answer a slightly different question:
How much do we spend on students at every school in Hamilton County?
The answers provide insight into:
- Equity: Are resources being distributed fairly across schools regardless of students' economic status, race or learning ability?
- Transparency: Which schools spend more on students? Which ones spend less?
- Engagement: How can education and community stakeholders make better decisions around spending?
- Return on investment: What is the relationship between average spending and student achievement?
Our analysis focused on services that directly benefit students like teachers, Title I, transportation and meals. The analysis reflects about 75 percent of the Hamilton County Department of Education's fiscal 2015 budget. Central office spending was excluded from our analysis, as were some spending groups not reported on a school-by-school basis (e.g. building maintenance).
We found that HCDE spends on average $7,200 per student across 72 schools. Learn more about per-student spending in Hamilton County.
About the 9th District
Hamilton County is divided into nine legislative districts. This brief encompasses schools located in the 9th District, which is represented by Steve Highlander on the Hamilton County Board of Education and Chester Bankston on the County Commission.
For other districts, see our map of school spending or read our other briefs.
| School | Enrollment | Per-student spending |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Middle | 472 | $6,801 |
| Central High | 884 | $7,092 |
| Harrison Elementary | 377 | $6,480 |
| Hunter Middle | 755 | $6,323 |
| Ooltewah Elementary | 839 | $5,707 |
| Ooltewah High | 1,414 | $6,231 |
| Ooltewah Middle | 792 | $6,726 |
| Snowhill Elementary | 509 | $6,584 |
| Wallace A. Smith Elementary | 634 | $7,141 |
| Wolftever Creek Elementary | 415 | $7,959 |
School spending and student outcomes
The chart below shows the percentage of students in 9th District schools who are considered proficient or advanced compared to average per-student spending.
- Spending: per student
- English proficiency:
- Math proficiency:
Sources: Hamilton County Department of Education and Tennessee Department of Education
Findings
Key takeaways from our research:
- Some students cost more to educate than others.
- Schools that are short on money struggle to create optimal learning environments.
- Schools know their students best but often don't have the opportunity to communicate specific needs to central office or direct resources where they're needed most.
- HCDE's budget is complex and opaque. It's difficult for the public to understand how spending impacts students and outcomes.
Primary recommendation
Current budgeting practices account for staff, buildings and enrollment numbers, but they do not reflect individual student needs.
Student-based budgeting focuses funds toward students instead of enrollment ratios. It recognizes that some students cost more to educate than others — for example, students from low-income families or those with limited English proficiency — and clearly budgets for them.
Student-based budgeting is student-focused, transparent, efficient and equitable. It encourages optimal learning environments for all students to succeed.
About the Metro Ideas Project
The Metro Ideas Project is an independent, nonprofit research startup devoted to the analysis and design of public policies that help make midsize cities work better for people. Learn more about our work, mission and funding.