A breakdown of average per-pupil spending by category in nine selected districts in 1967, 1991, and 1996.
| Program Area* | 1967 | 1991 | 1996 |
| Regular education | 80.1% | 58.5% | 56.8% |
| Special education | 3.6 | 17.8 | 19.0 |
| Food services | 1.9 | 3.3 | 4.8 |
| Compensatory education | 5.0 | 4.2 | 3.5 |
| Pupil support (attendance and counseling) | 2.1 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| Transportation (regular education) | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| Vocational education | 1.4 | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| Bilingual education | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.5 |
| Desegregation | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| Regular health and psychological services | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| After-school athletics | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| “At risk” youth education, alternative education | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Security and violence prevention | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
*Programs listed in order of 1996 share of total per-pupil spending. SOURCE: Economic Policy Institute. |
