Federal Policy

The federal role in improving equity and excellence in schools and colleges

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Explainer

What Congressional Funding Means for K-12 Schools

Authored byPhyllis W. Jordan

The latest developments in federal Covid-relief aid for states and school districts

Report

Strategies for the Biden Administration to Strengthen Public Education

Authored byThomas Toch

Roles federal policymakers can play in improving K-12 schools

Report

Why It’s Wrong to Write Off the SIG Program

Authored byAlan Ginsburg, Marshall S. Smith

State-level research showing achievement gains from the federal School Improvement Grant program

Commentary

A New Bipartisan Education Agenda

Authored byBruno V. Manno, Lynn Olson

A blueprint for new secondary and post-secondary pathways, based on students’ passions and purposes

A collage of graphics showing trends if spending federal Covid-relief aid.

Explainer

6 Ways to Breakdown How Districts are Spending Federal Covid Aid

FutureEd’s analysis of Covid-relief spending plans from more than 5,000 school districts and charter schools educating 75 percent of the nation’s students

Explainer

Who’s Who in the U.S. Education Department

Trump administration political appointees in education

Federal Government Shutdown

1,073

School districts that rely on Impact Aid—a federal program supporting districts with tax-exempt federal land—who have stopped receiving payments due to the government shutdown
15%

U.S. public school students who are enrolled in Impact Aid districts

Source: Education Week

Federal Student Loans

$1.7 trillion

Unpaid federal student loan debt
+$1 trillion

Projected increase in student loan debt over the next decade

Source: AEI

National vs. Local Control

66%

Adults who oppose eliminating the U.S. Department of Education
82%

Adults who favor giving states and local districts greater control over education policy and funding

Source: PDK Poll

SNAP

$186 billion

Projected cuts to food assistance benefits via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
18 million

Children who are expected to lose access to free school meals due to the cuts

Source: TIME

Federal Funding

$1.3 billion

Congressionally-appropriated K-12 funds released for afterschool and summer learning
$5 billion

Federal education funds still withheld from states

Source: Politico

Federal Funding

$12 billion

Proposed cuts to Education Department’s fiscal year 2026 budget
18

K-12 grant programs to be consolidated into a unified block grant—the K‑12 Simplified Funding Program

Source: Education Week

Federal Funding

$6.2 billion

Congressionally appropriated K-12 funding withheld from states
10%

Share of each state’s federal K-12 funding at risk

Source: Department of Education

Education as a Voter Issue

54%

U.S. adults who say public education will be extremely or very important to their presidential vote
70%

U.S. public school parents who say public education will be important

Source: PDK Poll

Investments in SEL

31%

School districts in blue states earmarking federal Covid-relief aid for social emotional learning
28%

School districts in red states

Source: FutureEd Analysis

Education as a Voter Issue, 2022

82%

Parents who would vote for someone outside of their political party if their education platform aligned with their views

Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

Projected ESSER III Spending

$2.2 billion

Projected ESSER III spending on psychologists/mental health professionals
$1.2 billion

Projected ESSER III spending on social-emotional learning

Source: FutureEd