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

Refreshed annually
About 7.7% or 3 in 40 dollars of New Jersey public school funding came from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year. As with most schools nationwide, New Jersey 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.

7.7%

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

$2.31K

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, New Jersey schools received a lower share of funding from federal sources compared with the US average (12.9%).

During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in New Jersey received 7.7% of funding from the federal government.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

In all, public schools in New Jersey received $3.2 billion, or $2,558 in federal funds per student. That's 9.7% lower than the national average of $2,833 per student.

Get weekly insights

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

During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in New Jersey received $2,311 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 565 school districts in New Jersey, the North Hanover Township School District in the Philadelphia, PA area received 37.9% of its funds from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year, more than any other in the state. The Mountain Lakes Borough School District in the New York, NY area received the smallest share at 0.81%.

Federal funding made up 0.81% to 37.9% of New Jersey school district budgets in 2022–23.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

Passaic City School District received 18.9% of its 2022–23 funding from federal sources, the highest among New Jersey's 10 largest school districts. The Passaic City School District also had the highest federal funding in the group at $7,114 per student. The Edison Township School District had the lowest share at 4.8% or $1,103 per student.

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

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

Passaic City School District

18.9%
2.

Union City School District

13.4%
3.

Paterson City School District

13.1%
4.

Newark City School District

12.5%
5.

Trenton City School District

10.3%
6.

Elizabeth City School District

9.7%
7.

Toms River Regional School District

7.5%
8.

Jersey City School District

6.9%
9.

Woodbridge Township School District

6.4%
10.

Edison Township School District

4.8%

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.