On average, OECD countries spent 8 000 United States dollars per child per year on compulsory education in 2007 (Panel A, Figure SS5.1 ). Luxembourg spent well over USD 15 000 per child. The next highest spender, Switzerland, spent nearly one third less. Spending in Turkey was somewhat above USD 1 000. Spending was also relatively low in Chile and Mexico.

Public and private spending on education per capita increased in most OECD countries between 2000 and 2007 (Panel B, Figure SS5.1 ). The United Kingdom and Ireland increased per capita spending by major amounts - 100% and 60% respectively. In contrast, spending levels in Demark, Israel and New Zealand in 2007 were unchanged from 2000. Two relatively low spending countries - the Czech Republic and Poland - have also substantially increased per capita spending.

Across the OECD, early compulsory schooling typically receives equal investment to the later part of compulsory schooling ( Figure SS5.2 ). In the first half of compulsory schooling, from the start of age 6 to 11 years, about 50% educational investment in compulsory education is spent across the OECD on average. Thus 50% is also spent in the second half of compulsory education, from age 11 to 16 inclusive. The greatest contrast is between Chile and Finland. Over 60% of Chilean spending is in the first half of compulsory schooling, leaving less than 40% for the second half. In Finland the opposite is true: 40% of spending occurs in the first half of compulsory schooling and 60% in the second half.

There is no relationship between average gains in reading scores of 15 year-olds over the 2000 to 2009 period and country increases in education spending between ages 6 and 16 over the same period ( Figure SS5.3 ). The lack of a relationship suggests that other factors, such as curriculum, teacher training and incentives, and influences outside the school gate, may be more important than funding increases in determining reading score gains, at least in terms of funding in compulsory education.

Further reading

OECD (2010), PISA 2009 at a Glance, OECD Publishing, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264095298-en.

Figure notes

Figure SS5.1: Hungary is missing from both comparisons. Estonia, Slovenia and Turkey are missing from the comparison over time. Recent per capita spending is for 2007 except for Greece (2005) and Turkey (2006). Comparisons of spending changes over time are for 2000 to 2007 - held at 2000 prices - except for Greece (2000-05), Luxembourg (2001-07), New Zealand (1999-2007), and the United Kingdom (1999-2007).

Figure SS5.2: The OECD average does not include Canada and Turkey. Finland refers to the maximum late spender and Chile to the maximum early spender.

Figure SS5.3: Estonia, Hungary, and Slovenia are missing from the spending figures. For spending data notes see Figure SS5.1. PISA 2000 did not include the Netherlands, the Slovak Republic and Turkey. The OECD (2011) does not include 2000 reading scores for Austria and the United Kingdom.

Information on data for Israel: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932315602.