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

Refreshed annually
About 13.3% or 2 in 15 dollars of Indiana public school funding came from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year. As with most schools nationwide, Indiana 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.

13.3%

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

$2.16K

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, Indiana 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 Indiana received 13.3% of funding from the federal government.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

In all, public schools in Indiana received $2.23 billion, or $2,558 in federal funds per student. That's 15.7% lower than the national average of $2,233 per student.

Get weekly insights

Subscribe for data-driven insights. No spin, just the facts.

During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in Indiana received $2,156 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 292 school districts in Indiana, the Gary Community School Corporation in the Chicago, IL area received 38.7% of its funds from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year, more than any other in the state. The Northeast Dubois County School Corporation outside of metro areas received the smallest share at 2%.

Federal funding made up 2% to 38.7% of Indiana school district budgets in 2022–23.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

Fort Wayne Community Schools received 25.4% of its 2022–23 funding from federal sources, the highest among Indiana's 10 largest school districts. The Indianapolis Public Schools had the highest federal funding in the group, it received $6,563 per student. The Carmel Clay Schools had the lowest share at 4.2% or $704 per student.

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

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

Fort Wayne Community Schools

25.4%
2.

South Bend Community School Corporation

22.8%
3.

Indianapolis Public Schools

20.5%
4.

Wayne Township Metropolitan School District

18.9%
5.

Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation

17.9%
6.

Lawrence Township Metropolitan School District

16.6%
7.

Perry Township Metropolitan School District

14.3%
8.

Vigo County School Corporation

11.2%
9.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools

4.3%
10.

Carmel Clay Schools

4.2%

Keep exploring

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.