08-03-2025
How much does the Department of Education fund California schools?
President Donald Trump's plans to defund or abolish the U.S. Department of Education have prompted questions about the department's role in America.
But how much money does California get from the U.S. Department of Education to help fund schools? About 10-20% in the past few years, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, but in pre-pandemic years, that number was about 5%.
In America, K-12 education funding is 'shared between federal, state and local governments, with state and local governments providing the largest portions,' according to Everything Policy, which researches and publishes information about policy. In California, the state share of funding the K-12 system has 'largely hovered around 55% to 60%' since 1990, with the local share usually near 30%, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, although the state's funding share has risen in the past several years.
Read more: What will happen to California schools if Trump closes the Department of Education?
California's 2024-25 state budget included a total funding of $133.8 billion — with more than half from the general fund — for all K-12 education programs.
Federal dollars support K-12 education in California, particularly aiding disadvantaged students and students with disabilities. Among the Department of Education's many roles include distributing funds.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, particularly its Title 1-A program, which authorizes aid to disadvantaged students, is the 'primary source of federal aid to elementary and secondary education,' according to a Congressional Research Report. It is the largest pool of funds under ESEA, also known for its most recently reauthorized form, the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The Department of Education determines and allocates Title I funds nationwide to support local educational agencies, such as school districts.
In California, Title I, Part A funds are 'used to support effective, evidence-based educational strategies that close the achievement gap' and help students meet the state's academic standards, according to the California Department of Education. Broadly speaking, these funds help students in high-poverty areas, according to the National Education Association. California received $2.4 billion in Title 1, Part A funds for the 2024-25 fiscal year, according to Scott Roark, a public information officer with the California Department of Education, in an email to The Desert Sun.
The Department of Education also allocates funds to pay the costs of developing and administering state assessments through Title I, Part B, according to the National Education Association. California received $27 million in Title I, Part B funds for the 2024-25 year, according to Roark.
Other federal funding that targets English-language learners and support teachers in California is allocated by the Department of Education, and title funds established through the ESEA.
Also, a Department of Education office administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the 'main federal statute governing special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities,' according to the Congressional Research Service.
The primary purpose of IDEA is to ensure that every child with a disability is provided a "free appropriate public education," and it also supplements state and local funding to pay for additional or excess costs of educating children with disabilities, according to the Congressional Research Service.
California received $1.5 billion in special education funding through IDEA for the fiscal year 2024-25, Roark said.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Here's how much the Department of Education funds California schools
