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  • Written by David S. Knight, Assistant Professor of Education Finance and Policy, University of Washington
Federal spending covers only 8% of public school budgets CC BY-SA[1] State and local tax dollars cover the bulk of U.S. public school funding. The federal government spends just under US$55 billion per year on K-12[2] education, in addition to outlays for early childhood education[3] and post-secondary programs like loans and grants for college tuition[4]. That’s just 8%[5] of the total $720 billion it costs to run the nation’s public schools during the 2017-18 school year, the most recent national data available. This amounts to around $1,100 per K-12 student. Federal funding has never surpassed 10%[6] of total public school funding, except from 2010 to 2012 when the federal government sought to reduce the school spending cuts[7] local and state governments made during the Great Recession[8]. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 sent[9] $54 billion – the equivalent of $56.5 billion, adjusted for inflation, in spending today – to schools. That infusion most likely saved thousands of education jobs[10] from budget-based layoffs. In contrast, recent federal aid provided so far, through the March 2020 CARES Act, amounts to only about $13 billion[11] for school districts, with an extra $3 billion for governors to use for K-12 education at their discretion. [The Conversation’s science, health and technology editors pick their favorite stories. Weekly on Wednesdays[12].] These funds may be spread even thinner if districts must allocate funds to neighboring private schools[13] based on enrollment levels. The Education Department, led by Betsy DeVos, issued guidance with this directive[14], but several states including California[15] and Indiana[16] have pushed back, arguing that federal funds for private schools should be limited to aid targeting low-income students. Most K-12 federal funding supports the nation’s most vulnerable students through the National School Lunch Program[17] and the Title I program[18], which targets funding to schools serving low-income students. Federal K-12 funding also supports special education[19] – providing services for students with special needs. In short, federal funds make up a small proportion of total funding for U.S. K-12 education, but those funds largely serve children facing economic hardship or with learning differences. The White House now says it may cut spending[20] for school districts that don’t resume daily in-person instruction when the next school year gets underway, or perhaps make additional funding contingent on students being in classrooms five days a week[21]. As a scholar of education finance[22], I’m concerned that this approach would harm the most vulnerable students and families. At a time when schools really need federal leadership and financial support, the administration is threatening to withhold funding from the highest-need schools.

References

  1. ^ CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org)
  2. ^ US$55 billion per year on K-12 (www.census.gov)
  3. ^ early childhood education (nieer.org)
  4. ^ college tuition (www.pewtrusts.org)
  5. ^ just 8% (www.census.gov)
  6. ^ never surpassed 10% (nces.ed.gov)
  7. ^ school spending cuts (www2.ed.gov)
  8. ^ local and state governments made during the Great Recession (muse.jhu.edu)
  9. ^ American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 sent (www.mitpressjournals.org)
  10. ^ saved thousands of education jobs (files.eric.ed.gov)
  11. ^ only about $13 billion (www.brookings.edu)
  12. ^ Weekly on Wednesdays (theconversation.com)
  13. ^ allocate funds to neighboring private schools (theconversation.com)
  14. ^ directive (www.aasa.org)
  15. ^ California (www.cde.ca.gov)
  16. ^ Indiana (in.chalkbeat.org)
  17. ^ National School Lunch Program (theconversation.com)
  18. ^ Title I program (nces.ed.gov)
  19. ^ special education (theconversation.com)
  20. ^ White House now says it may cut spending (www.politico.com)
  21. ^ students being in classrooms five days a week (www.cnn.com)
  22. ^ education finance (scholar.google.com)

Authors: David S. Knight, Assistant Professor of Education Finance and Policy, University of Washington

Read more https://theconversation.com/federal-spending-covers-only-8-of-public-school-budgets-142348

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