NJ Public School costs didn't count huge range of important costs

Do payments to teacher pensions and Social Security taxes count as part of the cost of running public schools in New Jersey? You would think so, but up until this week they weren't counted. How about school facilities and equipment costs? Or how about expenditures to send the student to public school in another school district outside of the one that they live in? Or the payment of debts by either the school district or the state? Is this even a serious question? If you pay for schooling costs immediately it is a cost but if you borrow the money, there is no cost to running the school?

The Christie administration has recalculated the amount it says New Jersey public school districts spend per pupil, increasing the state average rate by several thousand dollars to more than $17,800.

The figure, from the 2009-10 school year, has been adjusted to include costs such as transportation, federal funding, debt payments and legal judgments that can vary greatly from district to district. In the 2008-09 school year, using the previous calculation, the state average was $13,200 per student.

The Christie administration says the new figure is more transparent and complete. . . .