The Tennessee State Department of Education has a great web-site. They have a statistics link One of the links under statistics is the 1997-1998 Statistical Report. I 'saved-as' Table 49b - Current Expenditures Per Average Daily Membership and sorted it by Operating Expenditures Per Pupil ADM to find out where Rutherford County and Murfreesboro ranked in the state.
Please note I moved the comment at the bottom of the state's web-page to the top. In all fairness, I do not know if this chart is truly indicative of each county's local government's commitment to education. Some counties may pay lower teacher salaries than others. Others may have far more transportation expenses than others. I am not an accountant or a school superintendent or a journalist but the way I understand the comments these dollars represent county dollars for educating a student in a classroom. Federal and State dollars are excluded (I think I have that right.)
OUR Rutherford County Commissioners took five cents of the Rutherford County School Board's share of the property taxes and transferred it to the general fund last year for the 1998-1999 fiscal year. So unless the rest of the counties did something similar I do not think Rutherford County Schools moved up in last year's rankings and since The County Commission voted 14-7 to not give them the five cents back or any other increase for the 1999-2000 fiscal year I do not see Rutherford County Schools going up the list much this year.
Table 49b Expenditures
– Current Expenditures Per ADM
1997-98 Tennessee Annual Statistical Report
| **NOTE: TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES INCLUDE: CURRENT EXPENDITURES PER | |||
| LEA FINANCIAL REPORT (EXCLUDING STUDENT BODY EDUCATION, ADULT EDUCATION, | |||
| TRANSPORTATION, AND FOOD SERVICES); U.S.D.A. COMMODITY VALUE; AND STATE | |||
| LEVEL PROGRAM AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES. | |||
| AVERAGE | TOTAL | OPERATING | |
| DAILY | OPERATING | EXPENDITURES | |
| MEMBERSHIP | EXPENDITURES** | PER PUPIL ADM | |
| 1. OAK RIDGE | 4,752 | $30,965,649 | $6,517 |
| 2. ALCOA | 1,344 | $8,434,400 | $6,275 |
| 3. GREENEVILLE | 2,516 | $14,892,502 | $5,918 |
| 4. KINGSPORT | 6,244 | $35,001,707 | $5,605 |
| 5. DAVIDSON COUNTY | 69,337 | $386,035,456 | $5,568 |
| 6. BRISTOL | 3,604 | $19,912,912 | $5,525 |
| 7. *FRANKLIN | 3,780 | $20,874,309 | $5,522 |
| 8. MARYVILLE | 4,096 | $21,850,275 | $5,335 |
| 9. UNION CITY | 1,444 | $7,692,412 | $5,329 |
| 10. CLINTON | 1,006 | $5,301,379 | $5,269 |
| 11. SULLIVAN COUNTY | 13,301 | $69,735,851 | $5,243 |
| 12. CLEVELAND | 4,441 | $22,725,525 | $5,117 |
| 13. JOHNSON CITY | 6,622 | $33,023,149 | $4,987 |
| 14. HARRIMAN | 1,527 | $7,558,257 | $4,951 |
| 15. ELIZABETHTON | 2,170 | $10,610,137 | $4,889 |
| 16. MEMPHIS | 110,537 | $538,435,443 | $4,871 |
| 17. JACKSON-MADISON CO | 13,706 | $66,632,039 | $4,862 |
| 18. TULLAHOMA | 3,432 | $16,619,474 | $4,843 |
| 19. BELLS | 322 | $1,558,343 | $4,836 |
| 20. COVINGTON | 955 | $4,610,891 | $4,826 |
| 21. KNOX COUNTY | 51,982 | $249,444,034 | $4,799 |
| 22. MANCHESTER | 1,210 | $5,801,342 | $4,795 |
| 23. ATHENS | 1,734 | $8,284,992 | $4,779 |
| 24. DYERSBURG | 3,328 | $15,615,507 | $4,693 |
| 25. *ONEIDA | 1,172 | $5,484,714 | $4,681 |
| 26. DYER COUNTY | 3,503 | $16,187,641 | $4,621 |
| 27. HAMBLEN COUNTY | 8,921 | $40,683,797 | $4,560 |
| 28. MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS | 5,553 | $25,275,519 | $4,551 |
| 29. LENOIR CITY | 1,850 | $8,381,604 | $4,530 |
| 30. ANDERSON COUNTY | 6,935 | $31,260,578 | $4,508 |
| 31. HAMILTON COUNTY | 43,025 | $193,053,408 | $4,487 |
| 32. JOHNSON COUNTY | 2,346 | $10,382,226 | $4,425 |
| 33. PICKETT COUNTY | 786 | $3,478,528 | $4,424 |
| 34. PERRY COUNTY | 1,214 | $5,331,845 | $4,392 |
| 35. ROANE COUNTY | 5,918 | $25,958,539 | $4,387 |
| 36. WILLIAMSON COUNTY | 17,313 | $75,324,030 | $4,351 |
| 37. NEWPORT | 751 | $3,253,566 | $4,331 |
| 38. HANCOCK COUNTY | 1,169 | $5,051,046 | $4,320 |
| 39. HUMBOLDT | 2,024 | $8,727,065 | $4,313 |
| 40. ALAMO | 540 | $2,327,290 | $4,311 |
| 41. LAKE COUNTY | 981 | $4,223,748 | $4,307 |
| 42. ETOWAH | 379 | $1,620,552 | $4,273 |
| 43. POLK COUNTY | 2,318 | $9,828,717 | $4,240 |
| 44. GRUNDY COUNTY | 2,399 | $10,167,029 | $4,237 |
| 45. CLAY COUNTY | 1,242 | $5,246,450 | $4,225 |
| 46. SCOTT COUNTY | 2,867 | $12,032,216 | $4,196 |
| 47. HENRY COUNTY | 3,323 | $13,885,563 | $4,179 |
| 48. SUMNER COUNTY | 21,926 | $91,185,306 | $4,159 |
| 49. COFFEE COUNTY | 4,085 | $16,967,991 | $4,153 |
| 50. MARSHALL COUNTY | 4,746 | $19,704,287 | $4,152 |
| 51. BENTON COUNTY | 2,568 | $10,624,599 | $4,137 |
| 52. CLAIBORNE COUNTY | 4,715 | $19,505,569 | $4,137 |
| 53. HAYWOOD COUNTY | 3,766 | $15,541,311 | $4,126 |
| 54. CARTER COUNTY | 6,314 | $25,842,781 | $4,093 |
| 55. MORGAN COUNTY | 3,241 | $13,227,716 | $4,082 |
| 56. ROGERSVILLE | 635 | $2,585,095 | $4,073 |
| 57. SEVIER COUNTY | 11,572 | $47,138,437 | $4,073 |
| 58. *LEBANON | 2,756 | $11,198,106 | $4,063 |
| 59. LEXINGTON | 925 | $3,755,025 | $4,058 |
| 60. WASHINGTON COUNTY | 8,371 | $33,951,522 | $4,056 |
| 61. HAWKINS COUNTY | 6,925 | $27,931,187 | $4,033 |
| 62. RUTHERFORD COUNTY | 23,708 | $95,619,368 | $4,033 |
| 63. MAURY COUNTY | 11,762 | $47,344,131 | $4,025 |
| 64. UNICOI COUNTY | 2,584 | $10,393,362 | $4,023 |
| 65. LOUDON COUNTY | 4,584 | $18,389,103 | $4,012 |
| 66. BLOUNT COUNTY | 10,539 | $42,244,427 | $4,008 |
| 67. FENTRESS COUNTY | 2,331 | $9,338,146 | $4,006 |
| 68. PUTNAM COUNTY | 9,480 | $37,975,337 | $4,006 |
| 69. SHELBY COUNTY | 47,213 | $188,875,186 | $4,001 |
| 70. *PARIS | 1,491 | $5,951,820 | $3,991 |
| 71. FAYETTE COUNTY | 3,958 | $15,785,720 | $3,988 |
| 72. ROBERTSON COUNTY | 9,726 | $38,724,918 | $3,982 |
| 73. MOORE COUNTY | 995 | $3,965,319 | $3,985 |
| 74. MARION COUNTY | 4,312 | $17,078,711 | $3,961 |
| 75. OBION COUNTY | 4,111 | $16,187,662 | $3,938 |
| 76. BLEDSOE COUNTY | 1,675 | $6,558,031 | $3,915 |
| 77. JEFFERSON COUNTY | 6,278 | $24,581,610 | $3,915 |
| 78. WARREN COUNTY | 6,322 | $24,729,004 | $3,911 |
| 79. WAYNE COUNTY | 2,703 | $10,569,521 | $3,910 |
| 80. FRANKLIN COUNTY | 6,010 | $23,440,808 | $3,900 |
| 81. WILSON COUNTY | 11,545 | $45,021,772 | $3,900 |
| 82. SEQUATCHIE COUNTY | 1,768 | $6,892,130 | $3,899 |
| 83. BRADLEY COUNTY | 8,852 | $34,389,100 | $3,885 |
| 84. DECATUR COUNTY | 1,839 | $7,137,804 | $3,882 |
| 85. *MILAN | 2,106 | $8,171,595 | $3,881 |
| 86. MONTGOMERY COUNTY | 22,697 | $88,008,241 | $3,878 |
| 87. LAUDERDALE COUNTY | 4,859 | $18,803,341 | $3,870 |
| 88. JACKSON COUNTY | 1,588 | $6,131,163 | $3,861 |
| 89. TROUSDALE COUNTY | 1,225 | $4,714,254 | $3,850 |
| 90. CAMPBELL COUNTY | 6,585 | $25,331,769 | $3,847 |
| 91. HUMPHREYS COUNTY | 3,085 | $11,826,009 | $3,833 |
| 92. OVERTON COUNTY | 3,071 | $11,758,874 | $3,829 |
| 93. HENDERSON COUNTY | 3,405 | $13,003,789 | $3,819 |
| 94. LINCOLN COUNTY | 4,217 | $16,104,212 | $3,819 |
| 95. VAN BUREN COUNTY | 798 | $3,028,035 | $3,795 |
| 96. UNION COUNTY | 2,976 | $11,241,039 | $3,777 |
| 97. *HUNTINGDON | 1,409 | $5,315,573 | $3,774 |
| 98. HARDIN COUNTY | 4,019 | $15,167,877 | $3,774 |
| 99. FAYETTEVILLE | 1,113 | $4,193,972 | $3,769 |
| 100. MACON COUNTY | 3,426 | $12,903,089 | $3,767 |
| 101. MONROE COUNTY | 4,895 | $18,404,025 | $3,760 |
| 102. MEIGS COUNTY | 1,715 | $6,437,612 | $3,754 |
| 103. SWEETWATER | 1,306 | $4,896,826 | $3,749 |
| 104. *MCKENZIE | 1,380 | $5,169,485 | $3,745 |
| 105. *TRENTON | 1,486 | $5,556,213 | $3,740 |
| 106. LAWRENCE COUNTY | 6,818 | $25,490,016 | $3,739 |
| 107. DICKSON COUNTY | 7,867 | $29,346,753 | $3,730 |
| 108. GREENE COUNTY | 6,766 | $25,220,486 | $3,728 |
| 109. HARDEMAN COUNTY | 4,674 | $17,420,924 | $3,727 |
| 110. COCKE COUNTY | 4,613 | $17,162,564 | $3,720 |
| 111. GILES COUNTY | 4,808 | $17,842,375 | $3,711 |
| 112. WEAKLEY COUNTY | 5,177 | $19,179,483 | $3,704 |
| 113. MCMINN COUNTY | 5,859 | $21,691,953 | $3,703 |
| 114. STEWART COUNTY | 1,980 | $7,332,342 | $3,702 |
| 115. *S. CARROLL | 412 | $1,523,567 | $3,698 |
| 116. GRAINGER COUNTY | 3,098 | $11,417,606 | $3,685 |
| 117. TIPTON COUNTY | 9,407 | $34,642,937 | $3,683 |
| 118. *BRADFORD | 662 | $2,426,288 | $3,665 |
| 119. CROCKETT COUNTY | 1,756 | $6,428,830 | $3,661 |
| 120. RHEA COUNTY | 3,788 | $13,850,697 | $3,656 |
| 121. *W. CARROLL | 1,171 | $4,278,374 | $3,653 |
| 122. *HOLLOW ROCK-BR | 837 | $3,055,913 | $3,651 |
| 123. CUMBERLAND COUNTY | 6,524 | $23,728,746 | $3,637 |
| 124. HICKMAN COUNTY | 3,515 | $12,731,139 | $3,622 |
| 125. MCNAIRY COUNTY | 4,101 | $14,822,788 | $3,614 |
| 126. CHEATHAM COUNTY | 6,584 | $23,746,724 | $3,607 |
| 127. BEDFORD COUNTY | 5,934 | $21,399,329 | $3,606 |
| 128. HOUSTON COUNTY | 1,384 | $4,966,955 | $3,589 |
| 129. CHESTER COUNTY | 2,437 | $8,690,559 | $3,566 |
| 130. *RICHARD CITY | 289 | $1,029,343 | $3,564 |
| 131. DEKALB COUNTY | 2,682 | $9,183,255 | $3,424 |
| 132. CANNON COUNTY | 2,041 | $6,978,587 | $3,418 |
| 133. LEWIS COUNTY | 1,920 | $6,460,925 | $3,364 |
| 134. WHITE COUNTY | 3,858 | $12,788,573 | $3,314 |
| 135. DAYTON | 759 | $2,472,875 | $3,258 |
| 136. *GIBSON CO. SPEC. | 2,378 | $7,912,832 | $3,327 |
| 137. SMITH COUNTY | 3,084 | $9,475,053 | $3,072 |
| 138. CARROLL COUNTY | 6 | $1,247,459 | N/A |
| 139. GIBSON COUNTY | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| GRAND TOTAL | 890,805 | $3,911,246,817 | $4,391 |
| * SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | |||