You can find how your district compares to others in Central New York or across the state at the Empire Center for Public Policy.LaFayette Central School District spent more on instruction per student than any other school district in Central New York.

LaFayette spent $11,001 per student on instruction in 2007-08, according to a new database. West Genesee spent the least in the region, $6,582.

The database was compiled from state records by the Empire Center for Public Policy, an organization working to make spending more transparent. The public can compare districts across the state and by region in 20 categories of school spending.

“The figures do not tell you why, but they give taxpayers a chance to see how their school districts are spending their tax dollars so they can ask them the right questions,” said Lise Bang-Jensen, senior policy analyst with the Empire Center.

The statewide average for instruction costs per pupil was $10,692. That amount includes teacher salaries, supplies and materials, BOCES services, noninstructional salaries, textbooks pre-K and special education costs.

LaFayette is at the top of the list for three reasons, said Tom Goskoski, the district’s school business official. The district tries to provide as many educational offerings as bigger schools, but it has fewer students than some other districts.

LaFayette also has a higher than average population of students with special needs, Goskoski said.

Also, the Onondaga Nation School expenditures are included and that tends to skew the district higher on average per pupil, he said.

The Syracuse school district, the region’s largest district, ranked sixth among CNY districts in spending per student.

The district has a greater number of special needs children and an expansive pre-K program which tend to drive up the cost per pupil for instruction, said Michael Henesey, the district’s spokesman. Also, a large population of refugee students learning English also increases the instructional costs, he said.

Barbara Bradley, speaking for the New York State School Boards Association, said it makes sense that fewer students and more with special needs would lead to higher instruction costs per pupil.

“If you have a smaller population of students and the same number of students with special needs as a larger district, the bigger district can absorb that cost proportionally,” she said.

George Theoharis, assistant professor in teaching and leadership at Syracuse University, said special education costs make a huge difference in spending per pupil.

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