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Congressional Research Service
Inforrning the legislative debate since 1914
0
October 24, 2023
Funding for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
Congress provides annual appropriations and periodically
provides supplemental appropriations for public elementary
and secondary schools through many agencies and
programs. Of these funds, the largest tranche of federal
funding for public elementary and secondary schools is for
programs authorized by the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA). All ESEA programs are
administered by the Department of Education (ED).
This In Focus examines revenues for public elementary and
secondary education (hereinafter referred to as public
education) and the share of this revenue provided by the
federal government. It also details overall federal funding
provided for ESEA programs since FY2002, which is
included in federal revenue for public education.
Revenues for Public Education
Each year, the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) at ED collects data on revenues and expenditures
for public education using the National Public Education
Financial Survey (NPEFS). Revenues and expenditures are
reported by states for prekindergarten through high school.
Revenue data are available by source: federal, state, and
local. Federal revenue sources include, for example, ESEA
grants, funds provided under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, Medicaid reimbursements, and
COVID-19 federal assistance funds (e.g., Elementary and
Secondary School Emergency Relief [ESSER] Fund).
The current year data included in Figure 1 are based on
federal, state, and local revenue data reported by NCES for
FY2002 (2001-2002 school year) through FY2021 (2020-
2021 school year), which is the most recent data available.
The data are provided in constant 2023 dollars. Inflation
adjustments were made by CRS using the Consumer Price
Index (CPI) published by the U.S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI was adjusted from a
calendar year basis to a school-year basis (July 2022
through June 2023, referred to as the 2022-2023 CPI), the
most recent year for which this calculation can be made.
Over this period, total revenues for public schools have
increased from $419.5 billion ($705.5 billion in constant
dollars) in FY2002 to $837.7 billion ($953.6 billion in
constant dollars) in FY2021 (Figure 1). Most of these funds
were provided by state and local sources.
Figure 1 also includes public school enrollment data over
the same period. After increasing for many years,
enrollment declined in fall 2020 (FY2021).
Figure 1. Revenues for Public Education in Current and Constant 2023 Dollars, by Source and Public
Elementary and Secondary School Enrollment: School Year 2001-2002 through School Year 2020-2021
$450
$350 3S
-a $2502. .... -- . -..
4.33 1-A10
m
$100
$50
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 .2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
- 4 Feder2l revenue, constant do Iars (2023J State revenue, constant dollars (2023) - -Local revenue, constantdoIars (2023)
[Fede cEurenSelar ev ee ee u Localrevenue, curreoMars
50,0
y1000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
. Pu bic Elementary and Secondary Schoo[ E nrolment
Source: Revenue data obtained from Digest of Education Statistics, current tables, Table 235.10; and Revenues and Expenditures for Public
Elementary and Secondary Education: FY21. Enrollment data obtained from Digest of Education Statistics, current tables, Table 105.30.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/govenge0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)