Federal Funding

Billions of dollars in targeted assistance is made available to schools each year to help cover the cost of instructional materials, staff, professional development, and innovative technology. Many of these dollars may be available to you.

Funding Types

There are three basic categories of funding available from the federal government:

• Formula Funding: Federal money is typically awarded based on a formula that calculates the funding amount per student times the number of students in poverty (based on census data or number of students receiving free or reduced lunches). The total dollar amount is the allocated “formula” grant your school or district receives in a given year.
• Competitive Funding: Some federal funding is allocated to schools and districts through competitions. The timing and requirements of these competitions vary from state to state, but typically require that targeted programs are based in scientific research and are proven to have a positive impact on student achievement.
• Stimulus/ARRA Funding: A one-time infusion of federal and competitive funds designed to avert layoffs, create and save jobs, and improve student achievement.