GITNUXREPORT 2026

School Funding Statistics

School funding comes from state and local sources far more than federal dollars.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

In 2019, Black students attended schools with $1,500 less per-pupil funding than white peers nationally

Statistic 2

High-poverty districts received $1,394 less per pupil than low-poverty districts in 2019, controlling for region

Statistic 3

In 2020-21, majority nonwhite districts spent $2,226 less per student than majority white districts

Statistic 4

The funding gap between wealthiest and poorest 25% of districts widened to $7,000 per pupil from 2000-2020

Statistic 5

In Pennsylvania, poorest districts spent 22% less per pupil than richest in 2021-22

Statistic 6

Illinois funding inequities persist with property-poor districts underfunded by $2,200 per pupil

Statistic 7

In 2018-19, districts serving students of color received $23 billion less overall than white-serving peers

Statistic 8

Rural districts spent $219 less per pupil than cities in 2020-21, despite higher needs

Statistic 9

In New York, NYC schools received $4,600 less per pupil than upstate suburbs in 2019

Statistic 10

Charter schools receive 29% less public funding per pupil than traditional publics, averaging $2,000 less

Statistic 11

In California, low-income districts underfunded by $1,800 per pupil under LCFF despite supplements

Statistic 12

English learners in high-poverty schools face $1,000+ funding gaps in 15 states

Statistic 13

In Texas, property-poor districts sued under Robin Hood recapture, redistributing $2.5B in 2022

Statistic 14

Native American students attend districts with $733 less funding nationally in 2019

Statistic 15

In 2022, 27 states had regressive funding where poorest districts spent less than wealthiest

Statistic 16

Hispanic students experience $1,109 funding gap compared to white students in 2019 data

Statistic 17

In Michigan, Detroit schools spent $1,300 less per pupil than affluent Oakland County in 2021

Statistic 18

Special education is underfunded by 13.5% nationally, shorting $13 billion yearly

Statistic 19

In Ohio, urban districts like Cleveland underfunded by 10% relative to need in 2022

Statistic 20

During COVID, funding gaps widened as ESSER aid favored wealthier districts by $500/pupil

Statistic 21

In 1972, Serrano v. Priest reduced California's funding gap from 35% to 11% over decade

Statistic 22

In 2020-21, local revenues funded 50.9% of public school budgets in Nevada, highest reliance nationally

Statistic 23

Property taxes generated $326 billion for local school funding in 2020-21, 89% of local revenues

Statistic 24

In Illinois, local sources contributed 44.2% in 2020-21, with Chicago Public Schools raising $3.2 billion locally

Statistic 25

New Hampshire local funding share was 75.6% in 2020-21, highest in the U.S. due to no state income tax

Statistic 26

Oregon local property taxes funded 17.4% of school revenues in 2020-21, lowest reliance

Statistic 27

Michigan local contributions were 9.6% in 2020-21, reflecting Proposal A shift to state funding in 1994

Statistic 28

In 2021, U.S. school districts collected $295 billion in property taxes, up 5% from prior year

Statistic 29

California local property taxes funded 27.8% under Proposition 13 caps since 1978

Statistic 30

Texas local share was 36.4% in 2020-21, with $20 billion from Maintenance & Operations levies

Statistic 31

Florida local revenues were 43.8% in 2020-21, including discretionary millage rates

Statistic 32

Pennsylvania local funding was 23.6% in 2020-21, supplemented by gaming revenue intercepts

Statistic 33

In high-wealth districts, local funding per pupil averaged $5,200 more than low-wealth peers in 2019

Statistic 34

Nebraska local share was 47.5% in 2020-21, with Class I and III districts varying widely

Statistic 35

Colorado's Local Share Override mill levies generated $1.2 billion in 2022 for schools

Statistic 36

Missouri local property taxes raised $3.1 billion for schools in FY2023, 29% of total funding

Statistic 37

Kansas local funding was 31.7% in 2020-21, post-Gannon funding litigation adjustments

Statistic 38

In 2018-19, districts in the top 10% wealth raised $3,407 more per pupil locally than bottom 10%

Statistic 39

Hawaii, as a single statewide district, had 0% local funding reliance in 2020-21

Statistic 40

Local revenues in Connecticut were 40.1% in 2020-21, including municipal contributions

Statistic 41

In the 2020-21 school year, total public elementary and secondary education expenditures in the United States reached $857.0 billion, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year adjusted for inflation

Statistic 42

Federal funding for K-12 education accounted for 8.0% of total public school funding in 2020-21, totaling approximately $68.6 billion

Statistic 43

State contributions to public school funding made up 46.7% of total revenues in 2020-21, averaging $7,738 per pupil

Statistic 44

Local sources provided 44.9% of public school revenues in 2020-21, primarily through property taxes, totaling about $384.9 billion

Statistic 45

The average current expenditure per pupil in public schools was $14,347 in 2020-21, with instruction accounting for 60.2% of that amount

Statistic 46

Total federal K-12 funding through Title I grants reached $18.4 billion in FY2022, supporting low-income students

Statistic 47

IDEA Part B grants for special education totaled $13.6 billion in FY2022, funding services for 7.5 million students with disabilities

Statistic 48

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds distributed $190 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic through 2021

Statistic 49

In FY2023, the U.S. Department of Education's total discretionary budget for K-12 was $82.7 billion, including $44.8 billion for elementary and secondary programs

Statistic 50

Pell Grants for postsecondary education, indirectly supporting K-12 transitions, totaled $28.2 billion for 6.4 million recipients in FY2022

Statistic 51

National public school per-pupil spending was $15,424 in constant 2021-22 dollars for 2021-22, up 3% from 2020-21

Statistic 52

Federal share of K-12 funding averaged 13% during 2018-2022 due to pandemic aid, higher than the typical 8-10%

Statistic 53

In 2019-20, support services accounted for 29.4% of current expenditures, totaling $3,570 per pupil nationally

Statistic 54

Non-instructional expenditures like food services reached $56.3 billion in 2020-21, or 6.6% of total spending

Statistic 55

Capital outlay for school facilities was $56.1 billion in 2020-21, averaging $777 per pupil

Statistic 56

Interest payments on school debt totaled $12.4 billion in 2020-21, or 1.4% of total expenditures

Statistic 57

In FY2021, Title I-A funding was $16.5 billion, serving 25 million students in high-poverty schools

Statistic 58

Head Start funding was $11.0 billion in FY2022, enrolling 833,000 low-income preschoolers

Statistic 59

Career and Technical Education (CTE) grants totaled $1.4 billion in FY2022

Statistic 60

21st Century Community Learning Centers provided $1.3 billion in FY2022 for afterschool programs

Statistic 61

In 2021-22, New York state funded public schools at $24,785 per pupil, the highest in the U.S.

Statistic 62

California per-pupil spending reached $16,495 in 2021-22, supported by Proposition 98 guarantees

Statistic 63

Wyoming led in state funding share at 57% of total revenues in 2020-21, spending $17,462 per pupil

Statistic 64

New Hampshire had the lowest state contribution at 11.4% in 2020-21, relying heavily on local funds

Statistic 65

Florida's public school funding was $10,392 per pupil in 2021-22, below the national average

Statistic 66

Texas state formula funding distributed $6,689 billion total in 2022-23 biennium for K-12

Statistic 67

Illinois per-pupil spending was $17,819 in 2021-22, with evidence-based funding model since 2017

Statistic 68

Pennsylvania allocated $8.7 billion in basic education funding for 2023-24, a 4% increase

Statistic 69

Michigan's School Aid Fund provided $19.5 billion for 2023-24, including $6,684 per-pupil foundation allowance

Statistic 70

Nevada spent $10,057 per pupil in 2021-22, with lottery proceeds funding $116 million for education

Statistic 71

Alaska's per-pupil expenditure was $18,960 in 2021-22, highest adjusted for cost of living

Statistic 72

Utah had the lowest per-pupil spending at $9,135 in 2021-22, despite rapid enrollment growth

Statistic 73

New Jersey state funding share was 53.2% in 2020-21, totaling $12,755 per pupil

Statistic 74

Vermont spent $25,942 per pupil in 2021-22, driven by small district sizes and high costs

Statistic 75

Idaho per-pupil funding was $8,892 in 2021-22, with recent increases from sales tax boosts

Statistic 76

Connecticut's education cost-sharing grants totaled $2.5 billion for 2023-24

Statistic 77

Oregon state school fund was $9.2 billion for 2023-25 biennium, including State School Fund

Statistic 78

Massachusetts foundation budget funded $7.8 billion in Chapter 70 aid for 2023-24

Statistic 79

Ohio provided $8.0 billion in state foundation funding for FY2024, with per-pupil $7,635

Statistic 80

Per-pupil spending rose 41% in real terms from 1995 to 2015 nationally

Statistic 81

From 2010 to 2020, inflation-adjusted K-12 spending increased 19%, averaging 1.7% annually

Statistic 82

Federal funding share doubled from 6.8% in 2007 to 13.4% in 2021 due to ARRA and COVID aid

Statistic 83

State funding declined 7% per pupil from 2008-2012 post-Great Recession in 30 states

Statistic 84

Local funding grew 4% in real terms 2015-2020, driven by property tax increases

Statistic 85

From 1989-90 to 2019-20, per-pupil current spending rose from $9,962 to $13,416 (2020 dollars)

Statistic 86

Teacher salaries as % of spending fell from 42% in 2000 to 38% in 2020 amid rising benefits costs

Statistic 87

Enrollment-adjusted spending stagnated 2008-2015, then surged 14% 2015-2022

Statistic 88

In 2022-23, total K-12 spending hit $878 billion, up 14% from pre-pandemic levels

Statistic 89

Property tax share of local funding stable at 85-90% since 1990s

Statistic 90

From 2002-2022, states with progressive reforms saw equity index improve by 20 points

Statistic 91

Pandemic ESSER funds boosted spending 11% above trend in 2021-22

Statistic 92

Since 2016, 20 states increased funding adequacy to 90%+ of target levels

Statistic 93

Inflation eroded 2023 school funding gains, with real per-pupil cuts in 12 states

Statistic 94

From 1990-2020, instruction spending share dropped from 62% to 60%, offset by supports

Statistic 95

Voucher programs expanded from 11 states in 2000 to 32 in 2024, diverting $4B from publics

Statistic 96

Capital spending per pupil doubled from $402 in 2000 to $777 in 2021 dollars

Statistic 97

Post-2010, 15 states cut K-12 funding below 2008 levels until 2015 recovery

Statistic 98

Real per-pupil spending nationally flat 2008-2013, then +20% by 2023

1/98

Sources

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While the nation spent a staggering $857 billion on public schools in the 2020-21 school year, the stark truth is that a student's zip code continues to dictate the quality of their education, with funding gaps of thousands of dollars per pupil revealing a deeply unequal system.

Key Takeaways

In the 2020-21 school year, total public elementary and secondary education expenditures in the United States reached $857.0 billion, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year adjusted for inflation
Federal funding for K-12 education accounted for 8.0% of total public school funding in 2020-21, totaling approximately $68.6 billion
State contributions to public school funding made up 46.7% of total revenues in 2020-21, averaging $7,738 per pupil
In 2021-22, New York state funded public schools at $24,785 per pupil, the highest in the U.S.
California per-pupil spending reached $16,495 in 2021-22, supported by Proposition 98 guarantees
Wyoming led in state funding share at 57% of total revenues in 2020-21, spending $17,462 per pupil
In 2020-21, local revenues funded 50.9% of public school budgets in Nevada, highest reliance nationally
Property taxes generated $326 billion for local school funding in 2020-21, 89% of local revenues
In Illinois, local sources contributed 44.2% in 2020-21, with Chicago Public Schools raising $3.2 billion locally
In 2019, Black students attended schools with $1,500 less per-pupil funding than white peers nationally
High-poverty districts received $1,394 less per pupil than low-poverty districts in 2019, controlling for region
In 2020-21, majority nonwhite districts spent $2,226 less per student than majority white districts
Per-pupil spending rose 41% in real terms from 1995 to 2015 nationally
From 2010 to 2020, inflation-adjusted K-12 spending increased 19%, averaging 1.7% annually
Federal funding share doubled from 6.8% in 2007 to 13.4% in 2021 due to ARRA and COVID aid

School funding comes from state and local sources far more than federal dollars.

Equity and Disparities

In 2019, Black students attended schools with $1,500 less per-pupil funding than white peers nationally
High-poverty districts received $1,394 less per pupil than low-poverty districts in 2019, controlling for region
In 2020-21, majority nonwhite districts spent $2,226 less per student than majority white districts
The funding gap between wealthiest and poorest 25% of districts widened to $7,000 per pupil from 2000-2020
In Pennsylvania, poorest districts spent 22% less per pupil than richest in 2021-22
Illinois funding inequities persist with property-poor districts underfunded by $2,200 per pupil
In 2018-19, districts serving students of color received $23 billion less overall than white-serving peers
Rural districts spent $219 less per pupil than cities in 2020-21, despite higher needs
In New York, NYC schools received $4,600 less per pupil than upstate suburbs in 2019
Charter schools receive 29% less public funding per pupil than traditional publics, averaging $2,000 less
In California, low-income districts underfunded by $1,800 per pupil under LCFF despite supplements
English learners in high-poverty schools face $1,000+ funding gaps in 15 states
In Texas, property-poor districts sued under Robin Hood recapture, redistributing $2.5B in 2022
Native American students attend districts with $733 less funding nationally in 2019
In 2022, 27 states had regressive funding where poorest districts spent less than wealthiest
Hispanic students experience $1,109 funding gap compared to white students in 2019 data
In Michigan, Detroit schools spent $1,300 less per pupil than affluent Oakland County in 2021
Special education is underfunded by 13.5% nationally, shorting $13 billion yearly
In Ohio, urban districts like Cleveland underfunded by 10% relative to need in 2022
During COVID, funding gaps widened as ESSER aid favored wealthier districts by $500/pupil
In 1972, Serrano v. Priest reduced California's funding gap from 35% to 11% over decade

Equity and Disparities Interpretation

America has built a remarkably consistent accounting system where a child’s educational worth is inversely proportional to their need and directly proportional to their neighbors’ property values.

Local Contributions

In 2020-21, local revenues funded 50.9% of public school budgets in Nevada, highest reliance nationally
Property taxes generated $326 billion for local school funding in 2020-21, 89% of local revenues
In Illinois, local sources contributed 44.2% in 2020-21, with Chicago Public Schools raising $3.2 billion locally
New Hampshire local funding share was 75.6% in 2020-21, highest in the U.S. due to no state income tax
Oregon local property taxes funded 17.4% of school revenues in 2020-21, lowest reliance
Michigan local contributions were 9.6% in 2020-21, reflecting Proposal A shift to state funding in 1994
In 2021, U.S. school districts collected $295 billion in property taxes, up 5% from prior year
California local property taxes funded 27.8% under Proposition 13 caps since 1978
Texas local share was 36.4% in 2020-21, with $20 billion from Maintenance & Operations levies
Florida local revenues were 43.8% in 2020-21, including discretionary millage rates
Pennsylvania local funding was 23.6% in 2020-21, supplemented by gaming revenue intercepts
In high-wealth districts, local funding per pupil averaged $5,200 more than low-wealth peers in 2019
Nebraska local share was 47.5% in 2020-21, with Class I and III districts varying widely
Colorado's Local Share Override mill levies generated $1.2 billion in 2022 for schools
Missouri local property taxes raised $3.1 billion for schools in FY2023, 29% of total funding
Kansas local funding was 31.7% in 2020-21, post-Gannon funding litigation adjustments
In 2018-19, districts in the top 10% wealth raised $3,407 more per pupil locally than bottom 10%
Hawaii, as a single statewide district, had 0% local funding reliance in 2020-21
Local revenues in Connecticut were 40.1% in 2020-21, including municipal contributions

Local Contributions Interpretation

The American education system’s reliance on local property taxes ensures a child’s school funding is determined more by their neighbor's home value than by any actual measure of equal opportunity.

National Funding Levels

In the 2020-21 school year, total public elementary and secondary education expenditures in the United States reached $857.0 billion, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year adjusted for inflation
Federal funding for K-12 education accounted for 8.0% of total public school funding in 2020-21, totaling approximately $68.6 billion
State contributions to public school funding made up 46.7% of total revenues in 2020-21, averaging $7,738 per pupil
Local sources provided 44.9% of public school revenues in 2020-21, primarily through property taxes, totaling about $384.9 billion
The average current expenditure per pupil in public schools was $14,347 in 2020-21, with instruction accounting for 60.2% of that amount
Total federal K-12 funding through Title I grants reached $18.4 billion in FY2022, supporting low-income students
IDEA Part B grants for special education totaled $13.6 billion in FY2022, funding services for 7.5 million students with disabilities
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds distributed $190 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic through 2021
In FY2023, the U.S. Department of Education's total discretionary budget for K-12 was $82.7 billion, including $44.8 billion for elementary and secondary programs
Pell Grants for postsecondary education, indirectly supporting K-12 transitions, totaled $28.2 billion for 6.4 million recipients in FY2022
National public school per-pupil spending was $15,424 in constant 2021-22 dollars for 2021-22, up 3% from 2020-21
Federal share of K-12 funding averaged 13% during 2018-2022 due to pandemic aid, higher than the typical 8-10%
In 2019-20, support services accounted for 29.4% of current expenditures, totaling $3,570 per pupil nationally
Non-instructional expenditures like food services reached $56.3 billion in 2020-21, or 6.6% of total spending
Capital outlay for school facilities was $56.1 billion in 2020-21, averaging $777 per pupil
Interest payments on school debt totaled $12.4 billion in 2020-21, or 1.4% of total expenditures
In FY2021, Title I-A funding was $16.5 billion, serving 25 million students in high-poverty schools
Head Start funding was $11.0 billion in FY2022, enrolling 833,000 low-income preschoolers
Career and Technical Education (CTE) grants totaled $1.4 billion in FY2022
21st Century Community Learning Centers provided $1.3 billion in FY2022 for afterschool programs

National Funding Levels Interpretation

While America's nearly trillion-dollar annual investment in public education shows a serious financial commitment, the devil is in the details: the funding pie is sliced into so many specialized grants that you need a map to see if the money is actually reaching the classroom, or just paying for the labyrinth itself.

State Variations

In 2021-22, New York state funded public schools at $24,785 per pupil, the highest in the U.S.
California per-pupil spending reached $16,495 in 2021-22, supported by Proposition 98 guarantees
Wyoming led in state funding share at 57% of total revenues in 2020-21, spending $17,462 per pupil
New Hampshire had the lowest state contribution at 11.4% in 2020-21, relying heavily on local funds
Florida's public school funding was $10,392 per pupil in 2021-22, below the national average
Texas state formula funding distributed $6,689 billion total in 2022-23 biennium for K-12
Illinois per-pupil spending was $17,819 in 2021-22, with evidence-based funding model since 2017
Pennsylvania allocated $8.7 billion in basic education funding for 2023-24, a 4% increase
Michigan's School Aid Fund provided $19.5 billion for 2023-24, including $6,684 per-pupil foundation allowance
Nevada spent $10,057 per pupil in 2021-22, with lottery proceeds funding $116 million for education
Alaska's per-pupil expenditure was $18,960 in 2021-22, highest adjusted for cost of living
Utah had the lowest per-pupil spending at $9,135 in 2021-22, despite rapid enrollment growth
New Jersey state funding share was 53.2% in 2020-21, totaling $12,755 per pupil
Vermont spent $25,942 per pupil in 2021-22, driven by small district sizes and high costs
Idaho per-pupil funding was $8,892 in 2021-22, with recent increases from sales tax boosts
Connecticut's education cost-sharing grants totaled $2.5 billion for 2023-24
Oregon state school fund was $9.2 billion for 2023-25 biennium, including State School Fund
Massachusetts foundation budget funded $7.8 billion in Chapter 70 aid for 2023-24
Ohio provided $8.0 billion in state foundation funding for FY2024, with per-pupil $7,635

State Variations Interpretation

While New York clearly bets on a high-stakes approach to education by funding each pupil like a tiny, precious CEO, other states play a far leaner game of budgetary limbo, proving there's no national consensus on whether our future is worth the price of a good used car or a luxury sedan.

Trends Over Time

Per-pupil spending rose 41% in real terms from 1995 to 2015 nationally
From 2010 to 2020, inflation-adjusted K-12 spending increased 19%, averaging 1.7% annually
Federal funding share doubled from 6.8% in 2007 to 13.4% in 2021 due to ARRA and COVID aid
State funding declined 7% per pupil from 2008-2012 post-Great Recession in 30 states
Local funding grew 4% in real terms 2015-2020, driven by property tax increases
From 1989-90 to 2019-20, per-pupil current spending rose from $9,962 to $13,416 (2020 dollars)
Teacher salaries as % of spending fell from 42% in 2000 to 38% in 2020 amid rising benefits costs
Enrollment-adjusted spending stagnated 2008-2015, then surged 14% 2015-2022
In 2022-23, total K-12 spending hit $878 billion, up 14% from pre-pandemic levels
Property tax share of local funding stable at 85-90% since 1990s
From 2002-2022, states with progressive reforms saw equity index improve by 20 points
Pandemic ESSER funds boosted spending 11% above trend in 2021-22
Since 2016, 20 states increased funding adequacy to 90%+ of target levels
Inflation eroded 2023 school funding gains, with real per-pupil cuts in 12 states
From 1990-2020, instruction spending share dropped from 62% to 60%, offset by supports
Voucher programs expanded from 11 states in 2000 to 32 in 2024, diverting $4B from publics
Capital spending per pupil doubled from $402 in 2000 to $777 in 2021 dollars
Post-2010, 15 states cut K-12 funding below 2008 levels until 2015 recovery
Real per-pupil spending nationally flat 2008-2013, then +20% by 2023

Trends Over Time Interpretation

While the nation has been steadily writing larger checks for education over the decades, the scramble to fund schools increasingly resembles a complex shell game where the money often lands everywhere but in the teacher's pocket.

Sources & References

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