The Federal Investment in Education

Overview & Synopsis

The United States currently invests only 2 percent of the federal budget on education. The federal investment in education is crucial to ensure access to high quality education from pre-school to higher education, fill gaps where local and state funding is insufficient or where new priorities and needs arise, and help with the costs of federally mandated services, such as special education. Federal funding is targeted to where it is most needed--almost two thirds of appropriations for the Department of Education support teaching in low-income communities or aid for low-income college students. In addition, the student loan program is available to students at all income levels.