Here’s another interesting tid-bit from the newly-launched Sunshine on Schools website: North Dakota public schools aren’t spending all of their money.

In 2007 the schools took in $893,478,692 in revenues but only spent $876,469,559.  That leaves a surplus of revenue at $17,009,133.  Given that enrollment in the schools was 94,587 that works out to about $180 per student, or about $3,600 per classroom of 20 students.

So if North Dakota schools are underfunded, how do we explain a $17 million state-wide surplus on the school budgets?  Do we really need to increase school funding, and thus taxes (like the already too-high property taxes), to send extra revenues to schools that aren’t even using all of it?