State and local funds not enough.

A report released by the National Education Association suggests education spending is not keeping up with the increasing number of students and their needs. State and local governments are still providing the bulk of education funding. As a result, there has been little growth in average revenue, average teacher salary and the average expenditure per student enrolled in a K-12 school.

The average teacher salary has decreased across some of the nation. In 2002-03 it was $45,891, a 2.8 percent increase since the previous year, but this year, salaries are only expected to increase 2 percent. With 400.000 new students who entered schools last fall. less-than-desirable salaries are not attracting the 16,000 qualified teachers needed to keep up with increasing student populations.