U.S. Education Spending vs NAEP Reading Scores by State 2026: Chart Analysis
Fiscal year 2024 current spending per pupil is paired with 2024 NAEP public-school reading scores for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Grade 4 reading is the primary outcome; grade 8 appears as a secondary measure in the state table.
The comparison measures the state-level association between nominal spending and reading performance, separates jurisdictions into national-benchmark groups, and identifies results that sit far above or below the fitted spending-score trend.
Spending and Reading Comparison Metrics
National benchmarks and state-level summary measures use the latest matched official source year available for both indicators.
State Spending and Grade 4 Reading Scores
Each point pairs FY2024 current spending per pupil with the 2024 NAEP grade 4 public-school reading score.
The vertical and horizontal reference lines mark the U.S. values of $17,619 per pupil and 214 reading points. The fitted line is based on the 51 state and District of Columbia observations.
Spending and score spread
- The Pearson correlation is +0.09, indicating little linear movement between nominal spending and grade 4 reading scores across jurisdictions.
- State spending ranges from $11,060 to $31,918, while rounded grade 4 scores range from 201 to 225.
- Alaska and Wyoming are separated by only $483 per pupil but by 20 reading points.
Full State Spending and NAEP Reading Table
Spending rank is based on FY2024 current spending per pupil. Reading ranks use rounded 2024 NAEP scale scores; tied published scores share a rank.
| State | Region | Spending | Spend rank | G4 reading | G4 rank | G8 reading | G8 rank | Spend vs U.S. | G4 vs U.S. | Trend gap | Comparison group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | South | $13,627 | 40 | 213 | 32 | 250 | 46 | −$3,992 | −1 | −0.8 | Below both benchmarks |
| Alaska | West | $21,004 | 13 | 202 | 50 | 246 | 50 | +$3,385 | −12 | −12.4 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Arizona | West | $12,003 | 49 | 208 | 46 | 254 | 38 | −$5,616 | −6 | −5.7 | Below both benchmarks |
| Arkansas | South | $13,873 | 38 | 210 | 41 | 255 | 31 | −$3,746 | −4 | −3.8 | Below both benchmarks |
| California | West | $20,791 | 14 | 212 | 37 | 254 | 38 | +$3,172 | −2 | −2.4 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Colorado | West | $15,908 | 28 | 221 | 4 | 265 | 3 | −$1,711 | +7 | +7.0 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Connecticut | Northeast | $26,316 | 5 | 219 | 7 | 263 | 5 | +$8,697 | +5 | +4.2 | At or above both benchmarks |
| Delaware | South | $22,201 | 9 | 210 | 41 | 249 | 47 | +$4,582 | −4 | −4.5 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| District of Columbia | South | $31,529 | 2 | 209 | 44 | 251 | 45 | +$13,910 | −5 | −6.3 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Florida | South | $12,693 | 46 | 218 | 10 | 253 | 41 | −$4,926 | +4 | +4.3 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Georgia | South | $15,833 | 29 | 214 | 27 | 259 | 17 | −$1,786 | 0 | +0.0 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Hawaii | West | $23,878 | 7 | 216 | 13 | 257 | 24 | +$6,259 | +2 | +1.4 | At or above both benchmarks |
| Idaho | West | $11,060 | 51 | 216 | 13 | 261 | 8 | −$6,559 | +2 | +2.4 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Illinois | Midwest | $21,776 | 11 | 214 | 27 | 262 | 6 | +$4,157 | 0 | −0.5 | At or above both benchmarks |
| Indiana | Midwest | $13,622 | 41 | 220 | 6 | 262 | 6 | −$3,997 | +6 | +6.2 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Iowa | Midwest | $14,369 | 36 | 215 | 22 | 261 | 8 | −$3,250 | +1 | +1.1 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Kansas | Midwest | $15,558 | 32 | 213 | 32 | 255 | 31 | −$2,061 | −1 | −1.0 | Below both benchmarks |
| Kentucky | South | $14,596 | 35 | 218 | 10 | 258 | 21 | −$3,023 | +4 | +4.1 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Louisiana | South | $15,581 | 31 | 216 | 13 | 257 | 24 | −$2,038 | +2 | +2.0 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Maine | Northeast | $19,962 | 17 | 210 | 41 | 255 | 31 | +$2,343 | −4 | −4.3 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Maryland | South | $20,208 | 16 | 216 | 13 | 258 | 21 | +$2,589 | +2 | +1.7 | At or above both benchmarks |
| Massachusetts | Northeast | $24,429 | 6 | 225 | 1 | 268 | 1 | +$6,810 | +11 | +10.3 | At or above both benchmarks |
| Michigan | Midwest | $18,314 | 19 | 209 | 44 | 255 | 31 | +$695 | −5 | −5.2 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Minnesota | Midwest | $17,098 | 25 | 214 | 27 | 260 | 12 | −$521 | 0 | −0.1 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Mississippi | South | $12,324 | 47 | 219 | 7 | 253 | 41 | −$5,295 | +5 | +5.3 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Missouri | Midwest | $14,241 | 37 | 212 | 37 | 255 | 31 | −$3,378 | −2 | −1.9 | Below both benchmarks |
| Montana | West | $13,656 | 39 | 217 | 12 | 261 | 8 | −$3,963 | +3 | +3.2 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Nebraska | Midwest | $16,147 | 26 | 212 | 37 | 256 | 29 | −$1,472 | −2 | −2.0 | Below both benchmarks |
| Nevada | West | $14,812 | 34 | 213 | 32 | 253 | 41 | −$2,807 | −1 | −0.9 | Below both benchmarks |
| New Hampshire | Northeast | $22,978 | 8 | 221 | 4 | 264 | 4 | +$5,359 | +7 | +6.4 | At or above both benchmarks |
| New Jersey | Northeast | $27,234 | 4 | 222 | 2 | 266 | 2 | +$9,615 | +8 | +7.1 | At or above both benchmarks |
| New Mexico | West | $17,664 | 21 | 201 | 51 | 245 | 51 | +$45 | −13 | −13.1 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| New York | Northeast | $31,918 | 1 | 215 | 22 | 257 | 24 | +$14,299 | +1 | −0.3 | At or above both benchmarks |
| North Carolina | South | $12,995 | 42 | 213 | 32 | 255 | 31 | −$4,624 | −1 | −0.8 | Below both benchmarks |
| North Dakota | Midwest | $17,102 | 24 | 216 | 13 | 257 | 24 | −$517 | +2 | +1.9 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Ohio | Midwest | $17,257 | 22 | 216 | 13 | 260 | 12 | −$362 | +2 | +1.9 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Oklahoma | South | $12,162 | 48 | 207 | 47 | 249 | 47 | −$5,457 | −7 | −6.7 | Below both benchmarks |
| Oregon | West | $18,083 | 20 | 207 | 47 | 255 | 31 | +$464 | −7 | −7.2 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Pennsylvania | Northeast | $21,091 | 12 | 216 | 13 | 259 | 17 | +$3,472 | +2 | +1.6 | At or above both benchmarks |
| Rhode Island | Northeast | $22,110 | 10 | 216 | 13 | 258 | 21 | +$4,491 | +2 | +1.5 | At or above both benchmarks |
| South Carolina | South | $15,060 | 33 | 215 | 22 | 254 | 38 | −$2,559 | +1 | +1.1 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| South Dakota | Midwest | $12,828 | 45 | 214 | 27 | 260 | 12 | −$4,791 | 0 | +0.2 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Tennessee | South | $12,882 | 44 | 215 | 22 | 259 | 17 | −$4,737 | +1 | +1.2 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Texas | South | $12,895 | 43 | 212 | 37 | 252 | 44 | −$4,724 | −2 | −1.8 | Below both benchmarks |
| Utah | West | $11,347 | 50 | 219 | 7 | 261 | 8 | −$6,272 | +5 | +5.4 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Vermont | Northeast | $28,818 | 3 | 213 | 32 | 257 | 24 | +$11,199 | −1 | −2.0 | Higher spending / lower reading |
| Virginia | South | $17,104 | 23 | 214 | 27 | 256 | 29 | −$515 | 0 | −0.1 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Washington | West | $18,564 | 18 | 216 | 13 | 259 | 17 | +$945 | +2 | +1.8 | At or above both benchmarks |
| West Virginia | South | $15,640 | 30 | 206 | 49 | 247 | 49 | −$1,979 | −8 | −8.0 | Below both benchmarks |
| Wisconsin | Midwest | $15,952 | 27 | 215 | 22 | 260 | 12 | −$1,667 | +1 | +1.0 | Lower spending / at-or-above reading |
| Wyoming | West | $20,521 | 15 | 222 | 2 | 260 | 12 | +$2,902 | +8 | +7.6 | At or above both benchmarks |
How states divide around the national benchmarks
- 12 jurisdictions are at or above both national reference values, while 9 pair higher spending with a lower grade 4 score.
- 19 jurisdictions combine lower spending with an at-or-above-national grade 4 score; 11 fall below both reference values.
- The fitted-score gap ranges from +10.3 points to −13.1 points. It is a regression residual, not an official performance target.
Where Spending and Reading Results Separate
Supporting modules focus on benchmark position, score variation inside spending bands, regression residuals, and closely matched spending pairs.
Four Spending–Reading Positions
Jurisdictions are grouped by whether FY2024 spending and 2024 grade 4 reading meet the U.S. reference values.
| Position | Jurisdictions | States and District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| At or above both benchmarks | 12 | Connecticut; Hawaii; Illinois; Maryland; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Washington; Wyoming |
| Higher spending / lower reading | 9 | Alaska; California; Delaware; District of Columbia; Maine; Michigan; New Mexico; Oregon; Vermont |
| Lower spending / at-or-above reading | 19 | Colorado; Florida; Georgia; Idaho; Indiana; Iowa; Kentucky; Louisiana; Minnesota; Mississippi; Montana; North Dakota; Ohio; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Utah; Virginia; Wisconsin |
| Below both benchmarks | 11 | Alabama; Arizona; Arkansas; Kansas; Missouri; Nebraska; Nevada; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Texas; West Virginia |
Benchmark position
- The largest group is lower spending / at-or-above reading, with 19 jurisdictions.
- Benchmark groups describe position relative to national values; they do not measure finance adequacy or system efficiency.
Reading Score Variation Within Spending Bands
Bands show whether higher nominal spending ranges produce a steady rise in the unweighted state average reading score.
| Spending band | Jurisdictions | Average spending | Average G4 score | Lowest G4 | Highest G4 | Score range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $13,000 | 10 | $12,319 | 214.1 | 207 | 219 | 12 |
| $13,000–$15,999 | 15 | $14,822 | 214.5 | 206 | 221 | 15 |
| $16,000–$18,999 | 9 | $17,481 | 211.7 | 201 | 216 | 15 |
| $19,000–$21,999 | 7 | $20,765 | 213.1 | 202 | 222 | 20 |
| $22,000 or more | 10 | $26,141 | 216.6 | 209 | 225 | 16 |
Score ranges inside spending groups
- The $16,000–$18,999 band has the lowest unweighted average grade 4 score at 211.7, below both lower-spending bands.
- The $19,000–$21,999 band spans 20 points, from 202 to 222, the widest reading range among the five groups.
- The $22,000-or-more group has the highest band average at 216.6, but its individual scores still range from 209 to 225.
Largest Gaps From the Fitted Spending–Score Trend
Positive values sit above the score predicted by the simple state-level line; negative values sit below it.
Expected scores are fitted values from a one-variable linear regression. They are not official targets and do not adjust for student characteristics, regional prices, or program mix.
| Direction | State | Spending | Actual G4 | Fitted G4 | Trend gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Above trend | Massachusetts | $24,429 | 225 | 214.7 | +10.3 |
| Above trend | Wyoming | $20,521 | 222 | 214.4 | +7.6 |
| Above trend | New Jersey | $27,234 | 222 | 214.9 | +7.1 |
| Above trend | Colorado | $15,908 | 221 | 214.0 | +7.0 |
| Above trend | New Hampshire | $22,978 | 221 | 214.6 | +6.4 |
| Above trend | Indiana | $13,622 | 220 | 213.8 | +6.2 |
| Below trend | New Mexico | $17,664 | 201 | 214.1 | −13.1 |
| Below trend | Alaska | $21,004 | 202 | 214.4 | −12.4 |
| Below trend | West Virginia | $15,640 | 206 | 214.0 | −8.0 |
| Below trend | Oregon | $18,083 | 207 | 214.2 | −7.2 |
| Below trend | Oklahoma | $12,162 | 207 | 213.7 | −6.7 |
| Below trend | District of Columbia | $31,529 | 209 | 215.3 | −6.3 |
Distance from the fitted line
- Massachusetts is 10.3 points above the fitted score, the largest positive residual.
- New Mexico is 13.1 points below the fitted score, followed by Alaska at 12.4 points below.
- The residual ordering differs from both spending rank and reading rank because it measures distance from the state-level trend.
Similar Spending, Different Reading Results
Selected pairs have close FY2024 spending levels and wide 2024 grade 4 reading-score gaps.
| State A | A spending | A G4 | State B | B spending | B G4 | Spending gap | Score gap | Higher score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $21,004 | 202 | Wyoming | $20,521 | 222 | $483 | 20 | Wyoming |
| Colorado | $15,908 | 221 | West Virginia | $15,640 | 206 | $268 | 15 | Colorado |
| Mississippi | $12,324 | 219 | Oklahoma | $12,162 | 207 | $162 | 12 | Mississippi |
| Delaware | $22,201 | 210 | New Hampshire | $22,978 | 221 | $777 | 11 | New Hampshire |
| Arkansas | $13,873 | 210 | Indiana | $13,622 | 220 | $251 | 10 | Indiana |
| Louisiana | $15,581 | 216 | West Virginia | $15,640 | 206 | $59 | 10 | Louisiana |
Close budgets do not produce close scores
- Louisiana and West Virginia differ by only $59 per pupil but by 10 grade 4 reading points.
- Arkansas and Indiana differ by $251 per pupil and by 10 reading points.
- Pair comparisons isolate a useful contrast but do not control for wages, student needs, district structure, or the timing of earlier investments.
Why the Two Measures Do Not Move Together Closely
The scatter plot combines a finance measure and a sample-based assessment measure. Several differences in what those indicators capture affect the comparison.
Nominal Dollars and Local Prices
Current spending is reported in nominal dollars. Teacher compensation, facilities, transportation, energy, and contracted services have different price levels across states, so equal dollar amounts do not purchase equal inputs.
Student Needs and Service Mix
Current spending includes instruction and support services used by all grade levels. Special education, language services, transportation, counseling, administration, and other functions may raise spending without mapping directly to one reading assessment.
Timing of Spending and Assessment
FY2024 spending is a one-year finance measure, while grade 4 and grade 8 results reflect years of prior instruction and conditions outside school. A same-year scatter plot cannot identify the timing of any spending effect.
State Averages Hide Internal Variation
One statewide spending value and one statewide score can mask large differences among districts, student groups, school types, and local revenue systems. The state average is not a district-level efficiency measure.
Data Sources and Measurement
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data, Summary Table 8.
NCES, 2024 NAEP Reading Assessment and state snapshot results.
Current spending per pupil in nominal FY2024 dollars. The measure includes instruction, support services, and other current spending reported in the Census table.
Average NAEP public-school reading scale scores for grades 4 and 8 in assessment year 2024. The scale runs from 0 to 500; scores are not percentages.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia. DoDEA is excluded because the comparison is limited to state and District of Columbia finance records.
Ordinary least squares with grade 4 reading score as the outcome and FY2024 spending per pupil as the only explanatory variable. Correlation and residuals use 51 unweighted observations.
Census Table 8 excludes payments to other school systems and spending for adult education, community services, and other non-elementary-secondary programs. The per-pupil denominator uses adjusted fall 2022 membership from the NCES Common Core of Data agency universe file, even though the finance numerator is FY2024. Census amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar in the displayed table. NAEP state scores are rounded published estimates; tied ranks use those rounded values. National benchmarks are U.S. public-school values and are not simple averages of the 51 jurisdictions.
The scatter plot shows a cross-sectional association, not the effect of an additional dollar of spending. Nominal spending is not adjusted for regional prices, student needs, enrollment composition, or state reporting differences. NAEP is sample-based, and small rounded score gaps should not be treated as exact differences in school quality. Grade 4 and grade 8 scores describe separate student populations.