U.S. public schools hit record $946B spending in 2022-23 academic year
Public K-12 schools in the U.S. saw a rise in spending during the 2022-23 academic year. The total budget reached $946 billion, with an average of $16,526 spent per pupil. This marked a 5.7% increase in per-student funding compared to the previous year. Funding for U.S. public schools comes from three main sources. States contributed nearly 45% of the total in 2022-23, while local governments provided around 43%. The federal government covered the remaining 12.7%, a share that has grown over time.
Federal spending on K-12 education has climbed sharply since 2000. Adjusted for inflation, it rose from about $8 billion to over $80 billion by 2020. This increase came from policies like No Child Left Behind and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). As a result, the federal share of total K-12 spending grew from roughly 8% to 13%.
The largest federal programs include school lunch initiatives, Title I funding, and IDEA services for students with disabilities. Around 70% of U.S. schools receive Title I funds, which target areas with high numbers of low-income students. Schools where at least 40% of pupils qualify as low-income can use these funds for schoolwide improvements.
Spending varied widely across states in 2022-23. Four states and the District of Columbia spent over $25,000 per student on average. Meanwhile, Idaho and Utah spent less than $11,000 per pupil. The 2022-23 school year reflected ongoing growth in U.S. education funding. Federal contributions expanded, particularly through targeted programs for low-income and disabled students. Despite national averages, spending differences between states remained significant.
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