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

Refreshed annually
About 14% or 1 in 7 dollars of South Carolina public school funding came from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year. As with most schools nationwide, South Carolina 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.

14%

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

$2.57K

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, South Carolina 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 South Carolina received 14% of funding from the federal government.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

In all, public schools in South Carolina received $2.03 billion, or $2,558 in federal funds per student. That's 0.6% higher than the national average of $2,233 per student.

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During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in South Carolina received $2,573 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 73 school districts in South Carolina, the Dillon School District 4 outside of metro areas received 42.8% of its funds from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year, more than any other in the state. The York School District 4 in the Charlotte, NC area received the smallest share at 4%.

Federal funding made up 4% to 42.8% of South Carolina school district budgets in 2022–23.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

Richland School District 1 received 16.3% of its 2022–23 funding from federal sources, the highest among South Carolina's 10 largest school districts. The Richland School District 1 also had the highest federal funding in the group at $3,978 per student. The Lexington School District 1 had the lowest share at 6.8% or $1,141 per student.

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

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

Richland School District 1

16.3%
2.

Horry County School District

14.8%
3.

Charleston County School District

13.8%
4.

Berkeley County School District

12.8%
5.

Greenville County School District

12.5%
6.

Aiken County School District

12.3%
7.

Beaufort County School District

11.9%
8.

Dorchester School District 2

11%
9.

Richland School District 2

9.8%
10.

Lexington School District 1

6.8%

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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.