To calculate the rate of change in the per-student arts education budget between the years 2015 and 2017, we can use the formula:
\[ \text{Rate of Change} = \frac{\text{Value at End Year} - \text{Value at Start Year}}{\text{End Year} - \text{Start Year}} \]
Using the values from the table:
- Value in 2015: $847
- Value in 2017: $851
Now, plug these values into the formula:
\[ \text{Rate of Change} = \frac{851 - 847}{2017 - 2015} = \frac{4}{2} = 2 \]
Therefore, the rate of change between 2015 and 2017 was $2 per year.