Order Code RS21947
September 30, 2004
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
K-12 Education Programs: Appropriations
Summary
Paul M. Irwin
Specialist in Social Legislation
Domestic Social Policy Division
Summary
Continuing questions have been raised about the appropriations provided for
federal K-12 education programs, including total K-12 funding, recent increases, and the
major components counted in the elementary and secondary education total. Major
K-12 components include: the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA), P.L. 107-110;
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); the Carl D. Perkins Vocational
and Technical Education Act of 1998; and the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
(AEFLA). For ESEA programs, funding issues extend to how much was “promised,”
how much has been provided, and the size of the “shortfall.” This report describes these
various funding amounts. It will be updated as additional appropriations are enacted.
For the status of FY2005 appropriations, please see CRS Report RL32303,
Appropriations for FY2005: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
Key Components and Tables
Most K-12 education programs are authorized under four acts, including:
! Programs authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (ESEA);
! Special education programs authorized by the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
! Vocational education programs authorized by Carl D. Perkins Vocational
and Technical Education Act of 1998; and
! Adult education programs authorized by the Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act (AEFLA).
Four tables summarize information on recent appropriations for K-12 education
programs, as well as the FY2005 budget request, as follows:
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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! Table 1: Total K-12 Education Appropriations Since FY2000;
! Table 2: K-12 Education Appropriations by Major Component;
! Table 3: ESEA Appropriations by Major Component; and
! Table 4: Comparison of ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations.
Table 1. Total K-12 Education Appropriations Since FY2000
(dollars in billions)
FY
President’s request
Appropriation
2000
$22.3
$23.1
2001
26.3
27.9
2002
29.3
32.7
2003
33.6
35.7
2004
34.8
37.6
2005
38.7
not yet enacted
Source: Department of Education Budget Service table of Feb. 9, 2004. The FY2004 appropriation is
based on P.L. 108-199, and reflects the 0.59% reduction made to most FY2004 discretionary funds required
by that same act.
Table 1 shows the aggregate funding for K-12 education programs since FY2000.
It shows annual increases in both the appropriations enacted and the amount requested by
the President. As noted above, K-12 education programs include not only those
authorized by the ESEA, but also non-ESEA programs such as those for special
education, vocational and adult education, and education for homeless children. These
programs are administered by the Department of Education; the classification of funding
for K-12 education programs is determined by the Office of Management and Budget.
Table 2. K-12 Education Appropriations by Major Component
(dollars in millions)
Appropriation year
FY2005
Major component
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003
FY2004
request
ESEA programs
$18,442
$21,954
$23,610
$24,295
$24,771
Special education
7,440
8,673
9,957
11,161
12,176
Vocational education
1,234
1,321
1,326
1,328
1,012
Adult education
561
591
587
590
590
Other K-12 programs
211
153
244
183
131
Total K-12 funding
$27,897
$32,692
$35,724
$37,557
$38,680
Source: Department of Education Budget Service tables: for FY2001, Jan. 3, 2002; for FY2002, Feb. 20,
2003; for FY2003, FY2004, and the FY2005 request, Aug. 27, 2004.

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Table 2 shows the funding for major components of K-12 education since FY2001,
which was the last full year of funding for ESEA programs before they were amended by
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, P.L. 107-110, enacted January 8, 2002. The table
shows that ESEA programs receive the majority of K-12 education funds. For example,
ESEA programs are funded at $24.3 billion in FY2004, or 65% of the total K-12
appropriation of $37.6 billion. Significant amounts also are appropriated for non-ESEA
programs, such as $11.2 billion for special education in FY2004, for programs authorized
under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Additional funds are allocated for
vocational and adult education programs. A few other K-12 programs, such as education
for homeless children and youth, receive funding as well. Appropriations have increased
for each year shown for both ESEA and special education programs, and for K-12 funding
in the aggregate.
Table 3. ESEA Appropriations by Major Component
(dollars in millions)
Appropriation year
FY2005
Major component
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003
FY2004
request
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs (a)
$8,763
$10,350
$11,689
$12,342
$13,342
Reading First State Grants
0
900
994
1,024
1,125
Impact Aid
993
1,144
1,188
1,230
1,230
Teacher Quality State Grants
0
2,850
2,931
2,930
2,930
Education Technology State
0
701
696
692
692
Grants
21st Century Community
846
1,000
999
999
999
Learning Centers (21CCLC)
Innovative Programs State Grants
385
385
382
297
297
(Education Block Grant)
State Assessments
0
387
384
390
410
Rural Education
0
163
168
168
168
Fund for the Improvement of
717
833
810
770
264
Education (FIE)
Safe and Drug-Free Schools State
439
472
469
441
441
Grants
English Language Acquisition
296
664
684
681
681
Other ESEA programs
6,003
2,105
2,216
2,331
2,192
ESEA total
$18,442
$21,954
$23,610
$24,295
$24,771
Source: Department of Education Budget Service tables: for FY2001, Jan. 3, 2002; for FY2002, Feb. 20,
2003; for FY2003, FY2004, and the FY2005 request, Aug. 27, 2004.
a. LEAs = Local Educational Agencies.

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Table 3 shows the appropriations for 12 of the ESEA programs with the highest
funding levels since FY2001. It shows that approximately 50% of all ESEA
appropriations are allocated to the Title I, Part A Grants to local educational agencies
(LEAs) program for the education of disadvantaged children, which is funded at $12.3
billion in FY2004. In FY2004, Reading First State Grants, Impact Aid, and Teacher
Quality State Grants are each funded at more than $1 billion; the 21st Century Community
Learning Centers (21CCLC) program is funded at just under $1 billion. Most programs
shown in this table require appropriated funds to be distributed by formula. Most of the
remaining ESEA programs require the distribution of funds by discretionary grants
through competition among eligible applicants. A few ESEA programs specify the
distribution of funds to a single recipient.
Table 4. Comparison of Authorizations Specified by ESEA and
Appropriations
(dollars in millions)
Difference:
FY2005 programs
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
Req - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs,
$20,500
$13,342
not yet enacted
-$7,158
§1002 (a)
21CCLC, §4206
2,000
999
not yet enacted
-1,001
Education Block Grant, §5146
525
297
not yet enacted
-228
Voluntary Public School
100
27
not yet enacted
-73
Choice, §5248
FIE, §5401
625
264
not yet enacted
-361
FY2005 specified total
$23,750
$14,929
not yet enacted
-$8,821
Difference:
FY2004 programs
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$18,500
$12,350
$12,342
-$6,158
21CCLC
1,750
600
999
-751
Education Block Grant
500
385
297
-203
School Choice
100
25
27
-73
FIE
600
169
770
170
FY2004 specified total
$21,450
$13,529
$14,435
-$7,015
Difference:
FY2003 programs
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$16,000
$11,353
$11,689
-$4,311
21CCLC
1,500
1,000
994
-506
Education Block Grant
475
385
382
-93
School Choice
100
25
26
-74
FIE
575
134
810
235
FY2003 specified total
$18,650
$12,897
$13,901
-$4,749

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Difference:
FY2002 programs
Authorization
Request
Appropriation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$13,500
$9,061
$10,350
-$3,150
21CCLC
1,250
846
1,000
-250
Education Block Grant
450
472
385
-65
School Choice
100
0
25
-75
FIE
550
25
833
283
Five program subtotal
15,850
10,404
12,593
-3,257
24 other specified programs
10,497
6,977
7,410
-3,087
FY2002 specified total
$16,347
$17,381
$20,003
-$6,344
Source: Department of Education Budget Service tables of Jan. 3, 2002, Feb. 20, 2003, Jan. 28, 2004, and
Aug. 27, 2004. FY2002 authorizations and appropriations are based on CRS Report RL32244, K-12
Education Funding: Authorizations and Appropriations for FY2002. Authorization levels for all years are
based on ESEA, as amended by NCLBA.
a. ESEA section numbers refer to provisions for specific authorizations of appropriations.
Table 4 shows the annual funding amounts authorized, requested, and appropriated
for those programs with specified authorizations of appropriations under ESEA, as
amended by NCLBA. All together, the ESEA includes authorization provisions for 45
programs for the six-year period FY2002-FY2007, as follows.
! Five of the 45 ESEA programs have specific amounts authorized to be
appropriated for all six fiscal years; these programs are highlighted in
Table 4.
! Another 24 programs have specific amounts authorized only for FY2002;
funding for these programs is given in aggregate only in the FY2002
segment of Table 4. For FY2003 through FY2007, such sums as may be
necessary are authorized for these programs.
! The remaining 16 ESEA programs have no specific amount authorized,
that is, such sums as may be necessary are authorized for each program
for each year during the period FY2002 through FY2007. Table 4 does
not include any funding information on these programs.
In recent reauthorizations of education programs, an exact authorization generally is not
specified, especially for years following the first year of authorization or reauthorization.
Instead, such sums as may be necessary are authorized to be appropriated. Authorization
provisions for each of the 45 ESEA programs are listed in CRS Report RL31244, K-12
Education Funding: Authorizations and Appropriations for FY2002.
Table 4 shows that the President’s budget request is less than the authorized amount
for each year for each program; the FY2002 Education Block Grant is an exception. Also
for each year, the appropriation is less than the authorized amount, with the exception of
annual appropriations for FIE, which are higher than the authorized amounts. The FIE
is a single authorization that includes 20 specific activities as well as more general
activities related to the improvement of K-12 education. For instance, appropriations are

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provided for general FIE activities plus 15 separately specified activities within FIE in
FY2004.
ESEA Funding Shortfall? Since the enactment of NCLBA in 2002, there has
been a continuing discussion regarding the appropriations “promised” and the resulting
“shortfall” when authorizations are compared to the appropriations enacted. Some would
contend that the ESEA authorizations of appropriations, as amended by NCLBA,
represent a funding commitment that was promised in return for legislative support for
the new administrative requirements made of state and local educational systems. They
would contend that the authorized levels are needed for implementing the new
requirements, and that the differences between promised and actual funding levels, as
shown in Table 4, represent a shortfall of billions of dollars. Others would contend that
the authorized funding levels represent no more than appropriations ceilings, and as such
are no different from authorizations for most education programs. That is, when the
authorization amount is specified, it represents only a maximum amount, with the actual
funding level to be determined during the regular annual appropriations process. For
those education programs with authorization levels specified in the past, most have been
funded at lower levels, and few have been funded at levels equal to or higher than the
specified authorization amount.

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