Slight repost here of a linked issue:

There is a link on this post to a study by the teachers college in the prestigeous Columbia University which outlines a the benefits they found to the finances by investing in education and ensuring graduation.

Briefly an overall investment of $83,000 per student gives a public benefit of $209,000. A net benefit to the state of $127,000 per student or 2.5 times the cost.

we have higher costs (to the state) in health, welfare and criminal punishment etc than the states, therefore we would potentially save a lot more here by implementing methods of ensuring a better funded education and investing in education and graduation.

The study itself with a nice easily read summary at the beginning
http://www.cbcse.org/media/download_...al_Jan2007.pdf

the thread:
Save money by spending more on Education