News In Brief

Between fiscal 1980 and 1993, federal funds for elementary and secondary education increased 12 percent in constant dollars, according to a recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Such funding dipped in the early 1980's--mirroring the trend for all federal education spending--and started rising in the late 1980's. Not until after 1990 did precollegiate spending approach the constant-dollar amount spent in 1980, the year the Education Department became a separate agency.

In fiscal 1993, elementary and secondary schools received about 11 percent of their revenue...