In 2024 K-12 public schools spent more than $1 trillion for the first time. This means that on average, private schools (including religious schools) spend slightly more than $12,000 per student while public school costs are just shy of $18,000 per kid.  (Add public school construction and other capital costs and the real price tag is closer to $25 to $30k in most public school districts.)

By contrast, most private schools are low cost operations – not the very expensive elite prep schools like Georgetown Prep.

Georgetown Edunomics Lab reports that the public school costs vary enormously by state:

What does this tell us?  In most states, education costs are much higher than private school tuition, yet public school performance is far worse.

Overall, if the government were to contract out education to the superior private schools, costs would fall by about $300 Billion and test scores would improve.

That way we would have an education system in America that truly “leaves no child behind.”