The Census Bureau reported Thursday that the nation is spending more per student on public education, but the rankings also showed Utah remains last in the nation.

The nation's school districts spent an average of $8,701 per student in fiscal year 2005; Utah spent $5,257 per student. However, those figures do not include recent increases in education funding approved by state lawmakers.

Mark Peterson, a spokesman for the State Office of Education, said being in last place is nothing new for Utah and probably won't change.

The census report does not include the $404 million increase for education approved by the Utah Legislature during this year's legislative session, an increase of 19.9 percent.

However, Peterson said there is no data to say that this new funding will move Utah up in the rankings.

The reason, Peterson said, is because Utah has to educate so many students. The census reported that Utah had the highest proportion of its population age 5 to 13 years old when compared with other states.

Peterson also noted that income tax dollars, which are earmarked for education, are shared with the state's colleges and universities.

He said education in Utah doesn't suffer drastically because of the lower per-pupil spending.

"We try to do very well with what we've got," Peterson said.

Utah does have some advantages. Peterson said Utah has the fewest number of school districts, which keeps the administrative costs near the bottom as well.

Provo School District spends more than the state average at $6,392 per pupil. Nebo School District spent $4,693 and Alpine spent the least -- $4,641 per pupil -- among districts that have at least 10,000 students.

Tracy Olsen, business administrator for Nebo School District, said some things suffer. Districts might have fewer specialists for art or fewer elementary school counselors, for example.

"We feel like we can do things more efficiently," Olsen said.

Nationally, as in Utah, most of the money spent goes directly into classroom instruction, which means the money goes toward teacher salaries and benefits. This is one place where Utah does not come in last.

"We're certainly nowhere near the bottom there," Peterson said.

Utah ranked 38th in 2004 for its average teacher salary, according to the American Federation of Teachers.

Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at blusk@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.