Washington, D.C. — Federal K-12 education funding has been on the decline for decades, with one notable exception: when temporary emergency relief funds have been provided, mostly recently in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new report from the Center for American Progress provides fresh analysis of how much states have spent their Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds leading up to their January 2025 expiration date. The report also highlights significant state investments in students and educators that have been supported by ESSER funds through the American Rescue Plan. While many states have used up the majority of their designated funds, the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on public education still persists today.
Key findings from the analysis include:
- When adjusted for inflation and population, federal funding for K-12 public education has consistently declined over the past 20 years.
- As of July 31, nearly 80 percent of ESSER funds have been spent nationwide, with only a few months left to use the remaining funds.
- On average, the top 10 states with the highest public school student populations have spent 9 percent more of their ESSER funds than the 10 states with the lowest populations.
“ESSER has provided historic levels of funding to K-12 public education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Weadé James, senior director for K-12 Education Policy and co-author of the report. “While progress has been made toward addressing the impacts of the pandemic on schools and students, there is still work to be done. When Congress reconvenes in January—at the same time as states and districts finish spending their last round of COVID-19 education relief funding—a new opportunity will be presented to reexamine allocating increased appropriations for existing education programs in the next fiscal year and beyond.”
Read the report: “Lessons From K-12 Education Relief Aid To Improve Federally Funded Programs” by Weadé James and Paige Shoemaker Demio
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Mishka Espey at [email protected].