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Federal Funding's Role in Public Schools
President Donald Trump’s proposal to dismantle the Department of Education could have a greater financial impact on Republican-led states than Democratic ones.
Why It Matters
While public school funding primarily comes from state and local governments, federal contributions help bridge financial gaps. States that backed Trump in the last election rely more heavily on federal education funding than those that supported former Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to Kevin Welner, director of the National Education Policy Center, this dependency exists because these states tend to have lower wealth and lack the financial capacity to compensate for lost federal aid.
The Numbers
During the 2021-22 school year, federal funding accounted for an average of 17% of school revenue in Trump-voting states, compared to 11% in Harris-voting states.
Mississippi relied the most on federal education funding, with 23%Â of its school revenue coming from federal sources. South Dakota and Arkansas followed closely at 22%Â each.
New York had the lowest federal contribution, at 7%, despite spending an average of $33,440 per student, compared to $12,390 in Mississippi, per the Education Data Initiative.
Federal Education Funding Trends
Welner noted that federal education funding typically ranges from 11% to 14%Â of total public school revenue. While it temporarily increased due to pandemic relief efforts, it has since declined.
Even if the Education Department were eliminated, some of its programs could shift to other federal agencies. For instance, Head Start is already managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. However, Welner warns that such a transition could be highly disruptive, and Congress would ultimately decide whether to maintain or cut these programs.
The Potential Impact
States would likely respond to federal education cuts in different ways.
Wealthier states might reduce student spending but could compensate with state-level funding.
Lower-income states, which rely more on Title IÂ funding for disadvantaged students, could struggle to fill the gap, leading to fewer resources for students.
The Bigger Picture
Student performance was declining even before the pandemic and has worsened since 2020. Federal funds play a critical role in supporting at-risk and disabled students through grant programs, per the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
Political Hurdles
Trump has frequently criticized the Department of Education as an example of federal overreach and pledged to curtail its powers through executive orders. Last week, dozens of department employees were placed on administrative leave.
However, a president cannot unilaterally eliminate a federal agency—only Congress has that authority. Past attempts to merge or dismantle the Education Department, including a proposal during Trump’s first term, failed to gain traction.
Recently, House Republicans introduced a bill to terminate the department by Dec. 31, 2026, but with slim majorities in both chambers, the proposal is unlikely to pass.