All unit costs use Missouri-specific or Midwest averages where available, and national averages otherwise. Billionaire tax savings are illustrative estimates. Figures represent what a single unit costs to fund for one school year unless otherwise noted.
| Resource |
Unit Cost |
Rationale & Source |
| 🍎 First-Year Teacher Salary |
$40,386 |
Missouri average beginning teacher salary (FY2023–24), per the NEA 2025 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report. Missouri ranks below the national average of $46,526 for starting teachers. This figure represents base salary; total employment cost to districts including benefits is roughly 25–30% higher.
NEA 2025 Educator Pay Report · nea.org ↗
|
| 🏫 Afterschool Programs |
$97,500 |
Annual cost for a full school-based afterschool program serving approximately 65 students. The Afterschool Alliance estimates ~$1,500 per child per year for a high-quality program; at 65 students that yields ~$97,500. Program costs include staff salaries (primary driver), materials, snacks, and overhead.
Afterschool Alliance · afterschoolalliance.org ↗
|
| 💻 Computer Labs |
$25,000 |
Fully equipped 30-device lab including devices, networking, furniture, charging cart, and basic software licensing. Per EdWeek and U.S. PIRG research: ~$300/device at bulk pricing, plus $3–5K furniture, $3K networking, $2K charging cart, and peripheral costs.
U.S. PIRG "Chromebook Churn" (2023) · EdWeek ↗
|
| 🎺 Marching Band Uniform Sets |
$50,000 |
Full set for a 100-student high school marching band at ~$500/uniform. Includes jacket, trousers, shako hat, plume, and accessories. Per industry manufacturer data and multiple public school band boosters.
Fruhauf Uniforms Buyer's Guide · fruhauf.com ↗
|
| 🎨 School Arts Programs |
$40,000 |
Annual arts program budget for a single school. Benchmarked against national per-student arts allocation data (~$160/student for a 250-student school). Covers part-time arts teacher, supplies, and partnerships.
Americans for the Arts · americansforthearts.org ↗
|
| 🤝 Paraprofessionals / Aides |
$38,000 |
Loaded annual cost (salary + benefits) for a Missouri-based school paraprofessional or special education aide. BLS reports median ~$30,600/yr for teacher assistants in Missouri; with 25% benefits load, total cost is approximately $38,000/position.
BLS Occupational Outlook, May 2024 · bls.gov ↗
|
Billionaire net worth figures are from the Forbes 2026 World's Billionaires List. Missouri's 9 billionaires (David Steward $12.4B, Pauline MacMillan Keinath $9.7B, John Morris $8.9B, Jim Kavanaugh $7.7B, Rodger Riney $4.2B, Robert Clark $3.7B, Jim McKelvey $1.6B, David Humphreys $1.2B, Rex Sinquefield ~$1.6B) hold a combined ~$50.8B. Sinquefield's net worth is an estimate; he does not appear on the Forbes billionaires list but is widely reported at $1.6B based on his DFA stake and investments. Tax savings estimates are illustrative: Missouri's top state income tax rate is 4.95% (2024). For Rex Sinquefield, this rate is applied directly to his $1B+ net worth floor — showing what he stands to gain from Amendment 5's income tax repeal. This is a wealth-tax framing for illustrative purposes. No Missouri wealth tax currently exists or is proposed — this calculator models Amendment 5's income tax repeal. District funding at risk comes from the Missouri Budget Project's district analysis using NCES Education Finance data (FY25 baseline).
