Federal Education Programs

While federal funding for education comprises only about 8% of all funding for public education, federal funding and programs do play an important role in a number of specific areas.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - known as No Child Left Behind for the last decade - provides the major platform for many of the federal programs and funding for education. ESEA includes Title 1 for disadvantaged students, school reform and improvement programs, parental involvement programs, school libraries, dropout prevention programs, teacher quality and training programs, math and science education partnerships, civic education, safe and drug-free schools, rural education, charter schools, and the list goes on. There are about 80 distinct programs in ESEA.

Another significant platform for federal programs and funding in education is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law focuses on ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.

Learn more about these federal programs, as well as other federal programs and funding sources.