What percentage of public school funding in comes from the federal government?

Refreshed annually
About 20.3% or 1 in 5 dollars of Arkansas public school funding came from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year. As with most schools nationwide, Arkansas received more funding from local or state governments than it did from federal sources. The totals differ by district, depending on factors such as student demographics (like poverty levels), availability of state and local revenues, and whether a district is urban, suburban, or rural.

20.3%

of public school funding came from federal sources, 2022–23 school year

$2.85K

federal funding of K-12 public schools per student, 2022–23 school year
During the 2022–23 school year, the latest year data was available, Arkansas schools received a higher share of funding from federal sources compared with the US average (12.9%).

During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in Arkansas received 20.3% of funding from the federal government.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

In all, public schools in Arkansas received $1.4 billion, or $2,558 in federal funds per student. That's 11.3% higher than the national average of $2,233 per student.

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During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in Arkansas received $2,847 per student from the federal government.

Public school district revenue per student coming from federal sources

Most federal public school funds are allocated based on formulas based on factors such as poverty status or a district’s rural location. Federal programs for schools include:
  • Child nutrition programs: Administered by the Department of Agriculture, this includes National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.
  • Education for the disadvantaged: Also known as Title I, the federal government provides additional funds to schools with relatively high concentration of low-income students.
  • Special education: According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, the federal government is authorized though not mandated to supply 40% of special education funds.
Among 233 school districts in Arkansas, the Forrest City School District outside of metro areas received 43.3% of its funds from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year, more than any other in the state. The Armorel School District outside of metro areas received the smallest share at 4.5%.

Federal funding made up 4.5% to 43.3% of Arkansas school district budgets in 2022–23.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

Fort Smith Public Schools received 20.4% of its 2022–23 funding from federal sources, the highest among Arkansas's 10 largest school districts. The Little Rock School District had the highest federal funding in the group, it received $3,458 per student. The Bentonville Public Schools had the lowest share at 8.4% or $1,205 per student.

The 10 largest school districts in the Arkansas based on 2022–23 enrollment.

The 10 largest school districts in the Arkansas based on 2022–23 enrollment.
1.

Fort Smith Public Schools

20.4%
2.

Little Rock School District

19.6%
3.

Springdale School District

18%
4.

Conway Public Schools

14.6%
5.

Pulaski County Special School District

13.9%
6.

Rogers Public Schools

12.9%
7.

Cabot Public Schools

11.9%
8.

Bryant Public Schools

11.4%
9.

Fayetteville School District

9.3%
10.

Bentonville Public Schools

8.4%

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.