Federal Budget/Funding

Read more about how much federal money is spent on K-12 education and its impact
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A new gym under construction in Wisconsin's Cuba City school district, pictured April 16, 2026, would have also served as a tornado shelter, thanks to an $8.8 million FEMA grant. But nearly four years after it was awarded the grant, the district still doesn't have the money.
Arthur Maiorella for Education Week
Education Funding A School Wants a Tornado Shelter. A Federal Grant Keeps Getting in the Way
The district still can't spend a FEMA grant it was originally awarded in 2022.
Mark Lieberman, May 1, 2026
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9 min read
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Secretary of Education Linda McMahon prepares to testify before a Senate appropriations subcommittee on the U.S. Department of Education's fiscal 2027 budget proposal in Washington on April 28, 2026.
Marvin Joseph for Education Week
Federal McMahon Still Wants to Relocate Special Ed.—And Other Budget Hearing Takeaways
The education secretary also told skeptical lawmakers that Ed. Dept. program transfers are working.
Mark Lieberman, April 28, 2026
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6 min read
The likeness of George Washington is seen on a U.S. one dollar bill, March 13, 2023, in Marple Township, Pa. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says it expects the federal government will be awash in debt over the next 30 years.
Newly published budget documents show the U.S. Department of Education, in the first year of President Donald Trump's second term, took roughly $1 billion Congress appropriated for specific education programs and spent it differently than how lawmakers intended—or didn't spend it all.
Matt Slocum/AP
Education Funding Trump Sidestepped Congress on More Than $1 Billion in Ed. Spending Last Year
Newly published documents show how the Ed. Dept. departed from Congress' plans.
Mark Lieberman, April 24, 2026
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13 min read
A young couple sunbathe on the beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., Monday, May 8, 2023. For years, studies have shown a decline in the rates of American high school students having sex. That trend continued, not surprisingly, in the first years of the pandemic, according to a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study found that 30% of teens in 2021 said they had ever had sex, down from 38% in 2019 and a huge drop from three decades ago when more than half of teens reported having sex.
A teenaged couple sunbathe on the beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 8, 2023. For years, studies have shown a decline in the rates of American high school students having sex. New proposals would change the federal government's approach to sex education grants—to the worry of some working in that field who say that AI, Tiktok, and other developments have led to rampant misinformation about sex among adolescents.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Student Well-Being & Movement What Do Students Need From Sex Ed.? Would New Proposals Help?
With federal sex education grants in peril, an Iowa sex educator says student needs have changed.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 24, 2026
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7 min read
Fri., April 24, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Education Funding Webinar Congress Approved Next Year’s Federal School Funding. What’s Next?
Congress passed the budget, but uncertainty remains. Experts explain what districts should expect from federal education policy next.
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April 24, 2026
Image of a student sitting on a stoop with a school bus in the distance. Ghosted in the background is the Capitol building.
Illustration by Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty + Canva
States With Federal Commitment Shaky, States Move to Codify Protections for Homeless Students
Washington and Oregon have taken action, and others states are considering moves of their own.
Evie Blad, April 23, 2026
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4 min read
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A third-grade teacher at the Mountain View Elementary School's Global Immersion Academy in Morganton, N.C. works with her students in the Spanish portion of the program. With the inaugural class of the Global Immersion Academy (GIA) at at the school entering fourth grade this year, Burke County Public Schools is seeing more signs of success for its dual language program.
A teacher in a North Carolina dual-language program works with her students. In his latest budget proposal, President Donald Trump once again proposes to eliminate the $890 million fund that pays for supplemental services for English learners. Schools can use Title III funds for costs tied to dual-language programs that educate English learners.
Jason Koon/The News-Herald via AP
Education Funding Trump's Budget Proposes Billions in K-12 Cuts. Will They Happen?
Trump is proposing level funding for Title I, a modest boost for special education, and major cuts elsewhere.
Mark Lieberman, April 7, 2026
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6 min read
Westwood High School English teacher Jeff Hall, top center, monitors his class, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022 in Mesa, Ariz. Like many school districts across the country, Mesa has a teacher shortage due in part due to low morale and declining interest in the profession. Five years ago, Mesa allowed Westwood to pilot a program to make it easier for the district to fill staffing gaps, grant educators greater agency over their work and make teaching a more attractive career. The model, known as team teaching, allows teachers to combine classes and grades rotating between big group instruction, one-on-one interventions, small study groups or whatever the team agrees is a priority each day.
At Westwood High School, shown here on Oct. 18, 2022 in Mesa, Ariz., teachers combine classes and grades rotating between big group instruction, one-on-one interventions, and small study groups. Teachers find collaborative teaching models generally more useful than other PD models like seminars.
Matt York/AP
Professional Development Teachers Like It. Research Is Promising. Is This the Solution to Teacher PD?
A GAO report finds that teachers like collaborative teaching—and it has some preliminary research support too.
Sarah D. Sparks, April 3, 2026
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4 min read
The Senate and the Capitol Dome are illuminated in Washington, early Thursday, April 2, 2026, as Congress meets in a short, pro forma session.
The Senate and the Capitol dome are illuminated in Washington early in the day on Thursday, April 2, 2026. For the second year in a row, the White House budget proposes major cuts to federal education programs that the Republican-led Congress rejected last year.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Education Funding Trump Again Proposes Major Education Cuts in New Budget Proposal
The president again wants lawmakers to consider billions in K-12 spending cuts and program eliminations.
Mark Lieberman, April 3, 2026
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7 min read
Scranton High School student Elizabeth Kramer participates in the Program 3-D Prototyping during Luzerne County Community College's STEM Technology Day on Monday, February 17, 2020, in Nanticoke Pa. More than 100 students from four school districts will attend. The students were part of "Talent Search," an Educational Opportunity Center program. The Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education.
Scranton High School student Elizabeth Kramer participates in a 3-D prototyping program at Luzerne County Community College's STEM Technology Day on Feb. 17, 2020, in Nanticoke, Pa. The students were supported by Talent Search, funded by a federal program that identifies and helps economically disadvantaged students who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The Trump administration seeks to broaden the program to include more workforce-based training.
Mark Moran/The Citizens' Voice via AP
College & Workforce Readiness Trump Admin. Makes Workforce Training a Focus in College-Access Program
The feds seek changes to a program designed to help low-income secondary students access higher education.
Sarah Schwartz, March 27, 2026
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3 min read
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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: National arts education leaders, advocates, and policymakers gather for a couple of hours at the University Club on March 24, 2026 in Washington.
Marvin Joseph for Education Week
Education Funding Arts Education Advocates Talk About How to Elevate Their Discipline
Art education community members come together to discuss funding challenges and opportunities.
Jennifer Vilcarino, March 26, 2026
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3 min read
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, January 22, 2026: Students at Washburn High School fill the stairwell during passing time in Minneapolis, MN.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, January 22, 2026: Students at Washburn High School fill the stairwell during passing time in Minneapolis, MN.
Caroline Yang for Education Week
Education Funding Common Questions About Education Funding
Education Week has answered some of the most common questions about education funding in the United States.
Maya Riser-Kositsky, March 25, 2026
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1 min read
Image of an office chair moving over a map of Washington D.C.
Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
Federal Where Are Ed. Dept. Programs Moving? Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
More than 100 programs run by the U.S. Department of Education are shifting to other agencies.
Mark Lieberman, March 20, 2026
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14 min read