Show Foundation Projects School Costs at Million in Decade If It per par p pupil costs should continue continue con con- to rise during the next ten years at the same rate as they have during the past decade decade de de- de cade school operating costs in Utah would increase from million in 58 1957 to an estimated million in 1968 1963 69 This projection of school costs was made by Utah Foundation Foundation Foundation Foun Foun- dation in its latest analysis of Utah's public school fin fin- ances The Foundations Foundation's study notes that such an on increase in school operating expenditures would require quire a substantial rise In the proportion of Utah's personal income going for public edu edu- cation During the 58 1957 school year school operating expenditures in Utah were were equal to 1 per cent of the total personal income received ed by all individuals in the State If It Utah school costs rise to the million figure by 1968 1963 the public schools would require nearly 5 per cent of estimated ed total Income that year This This' projection assumes assumes as as- a continued rise in Utah Income me levels for the next decade decade de de- cade comparable to the rise in recent years Total expenditures expend expendi tures for all public educational purposes school opera operating ting capital cap cap- capital ital outlay vocational schools higher education and other we were equal to per cent of the States State's personal income last ye year r. r In comparison with other states the report shows that Utah is characterized by one of the largest public school loads in the nation a below average financial capacity to finance education and a superior superior super super- lor effort made to support the public c schools Despite the superior effort made to support public education education tion in n Utah the amount spent per school child is somewhat below the national average Foundation analysts warn however however however how how- ever that the amount spent per school child is often not a reliable index of educational quality By way of example the report report report re re- port points out that the average average aver aver average age per pel pupil cost In Daggett School District the smallest district in Utah is more than two and a half times that of Salt Lake City School District the largest district in the State During 56 1955 the latest year for which official comparative data are available Montana with 1180 separ separate te school districts districts dist dist- rl ts spent per pupil and South Dakota with school districts spent per pupil both states being well above the national av average rage of Approximately 79 per cent of the schools in South Dakota and 66 per pel cent in Montana were teacher one-teacher schools On the other hand Utah with only 40 school districts and fewer than 5 per cent of Its schools In the teacher one-teacher category spent per pupil In 1955 Foundation officiate officials observe that Utah ranks close to the national average in the amount spent per classroom operations |