State Education Budgets

While schools operate primarily on state and local funding, federal dollars play a crucial role in ensuring that schools have the resources they need. On average, states receive 11-14% of their funding from the federal government, although some states rely on federal dollars for 20% or more of their K-12 funding.

Education Spending Breakdown

Several states receive a higher proportion of their total education spending from federal taxpayer dollars – nearly 1 in 4 dollars:

23%

 23% of Mississippi’s education funding comes from the federal government

22%

 22% of both South Dakota’s and Arkansas’ education funding comes from the federal government

21%

21% of both Montana’s and Alaska’s education funding comes from the federal government

20%

 20% of Louisiana’s education funding comes from the federal government

19%

19% of both Oklahoma’s and Arizona’s education funding comes from the federal government

Thousands of dollars from the U.S. Department of Education pay teachers and support students' needs.

$4,000

Per Student

About $4,000 of federal funding is spent per student in North Dakota, Montana, and Alaska

$3,000

Per Student

About $3,000 of federal funding is spent per student in Texas, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Wyoming

$2,000

Per Student

About $2,000 of federal funding is spent per student in Idaho, Iowa, Florida, and Missouri

Cuts of this size to state education budgets would be devastating – and would leave states and school districts, both in traditional and charter public schools, scrambling to make up lost funding. Schools rely on these dollars to hire teachers, school counselors, and mental health professionals to ensure students get the support they need. They use them to make class sizes smaller so kids can receive more individual attention, and provide tutoring, after-school programs, and summer school to provide safe and healthy environments and help students achieve academic success. 

Cuts would also disproportionately impact schools serving higher need students – including those in rural schools, those from low-income families, and those with disabilities. Students would be faced with larger class sizes, fewer extra curricular activities, and lower quality instruction if these cuts come to pass.

States Depend on Federal Funding

The U.S. Department of Education supports our children and neighbors, with supports for:

  • 26 million students from low-income backgrounds – more than half of all K-12 students in the U.S. – with more than $18 billion in crucial funding

  •  9.8 million students enrolled in rural schools with $215 million in funding

  • 7.4 million students with disabilities with more than $15 billion in funding

  • 1.1 million students experiencing homelessness with about $130 million in funding

  • Nearly 800,000 children living near military bases, Native American reservations, and other Federal properties with about $1.6 billion in funding

  • Nearly $36.6 billion in Pell Grants and $1.6 trillion in student loans helping 87 million students and parents pay for the cost of college

See what your state's students and public schools stand to lose if Congress allows the Trump administration to disband the Department of Education.

(Tool courtesy of Education Law Center.)