How much have we increased spending on public schools in the pursuit of an educated population? The Nevada Policy Research Institute provides some numbers for the years 1961-2005, comparing the increases in spending on schools to increases in the price of housing and other items, as well as income.

But here's the part that jumped out at me: "Had gas prices risen at the same rate as per-pupil spending on public education, we would be paying at least $6.18 a gallon today."