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

Updated Apr. 24, 2026Refreshed annually
About 13.1% or 1 in 8 dollars of Wisconsin public school funding came from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year. As with most schools nationwide, Wisconsin 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.

13.1%

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

$2.4K

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, Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin received 13.1% of funding from the federal government.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

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In all, public schools in Wisconsin received $1.97 billion, or $2,558 in federal funds per student. That's 6.2% lower than the national average of $2,733 per student.

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During the 2022–23 school year, public schools in Wisconsin received $2,398 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 422 school districts in Wisconsin, the Menominee Indian School District outside of metro areas received 43.9% of its funds from the federal government during the 2022–23 school year, more than any other in the state. The Waterford Union High School District in the Racine, WI area received the smallest share at 3.5%.

Federal funding made up 3.5% to 43.9% of Wisconsin school district budgets in 2022–23.

Share of public school district revenue coming from federal sources

Milwaukee School District received 24.4% of its 2022–23 funding from federal sources, the highest among Wisconsin's 10 largest school districts. The Milwaukee School District also had the highest federal funding in the group at $5,407 per student. The Waukesha School District had the lowest share at 10.5% or $1,767 per student.

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

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

Milwaukee School District

24.4%
2.

Racine School District

18.1%
3.

Kenosha School District

17%
4.

Green Bay Area School District

14.7%
5.

Sheboygan Area School District

13.8%
6.

Janesville School District

13.3%
7.

Eau Claire Area School District

11.6%
8.

Appleton Area School District

11.5%
9.

Madison Metropolitan School District

11.2%
10.

Waukesha School District

10.5%

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Methodology

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

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

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.