Education Funding
Guidance and resources for school district leaders navigating federal education funding.
Background
AASA's Position & Priorities
AASA is committed to advocating for the following:
- Equitable federal funding mechanisms, including key federal programs such as Title I and IDEA, as well as a robust conversation to revise and strengthen the efficacy of poverty indicators within federal education programs.
- Federal education policy should support additional federal funding to provide mental health services for students, staff and families.
- Formula funding and policy should support the total child, from physical and mental health to the development of fundamental lifelong learning skills.
- Champion federal funding for building and rebuilding schools with a priority for standalone, formula-driven federal funding for school facilities.
Issue Updates
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April 03, 2026
Administration Releases FY27 President’s Budget RequestThis morning, the Administration released the President’s Budget Request for FY2027. Overall, the proposal for the Department of Education is very similar to the FY2026 request, with calls for funding cuts, block grants, and program eliminations—all of which Congress rejected in its final FY26 spending bill.
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March 02, 2026
ED Issues Guidance on Strategic StaffingThe U.S. Department of Education issued guidance through a Dear Colleague letter addressing how grantees can use Title II, Part A funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to support “innovative teacher workforce strategies.”
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February 04, 2026
Congress Passes Bipartisan, Bicameral FY26 LHHS Spending BillYesterday, Congress passed a bipartisan, bicameral FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding package, providing level funding (and some small increases) for education programs.
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February 03, 2026
ED Issues FY26 Small, Rural School Achievement Program Application NoticeThe Department will send an email with a unique application link to each local education agency (LEA) that is eligible and estimated to receive a positive allocation.
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January 20, 2026
Congress Releases Bipartisan, Bicameral FY26 LHHS ProposalThis morning, Congress released a bipartisan, bicameral FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding package as part of a larger “minibus” that includes funding for three other spending bills.
AASA Resources
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March 21, 2024
PEP Talk Episode 28: Title I and You!Type:Podcast Topics: Advocacy & Policy, District & School Operations, Finance & BudgetsOn this episode of PEP Talk, Kat Sturdevant interviews Nora Gordon, professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University about all things Title I; what it is, how it's funded, and who it benefits. -
September 21, 2023
PEP Talk Episode 23: Congressional AppropriationsType:Podcast Topics: Advocacy & Policy, Finance & BudgetsAASA's Advocacy team interviews Sarah Abernathy, executive director of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) about how education funding is procured in Congress, how a budget is set, and outlooks for FY2024.
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