Via press release from KY Policy
Kentucky receives more than $1 billion annually in federal education funding, according to an analysis from the Kentucky Center of Economic Policy. But now major questions are being raised about the future of that funding after Thursday’s executive order from President Trump calling for the dismantling of the Department of Education.
Cuts to this funding, or difficulty accessing it and other resources that the U. S. Department of Education now provides, could lead to the loss of teachers, the end of vital support for our most disadvantaged kids, diminished mental health supports and reduced student success and well-being.
Most of the federal education funding to Kentucky, $546 million this school year, comes from the Department of Education ($466 million in school meal funding comes from the USDA) and it supports the employment of approximately 4,546 teachers, counselors and other school employees across the commonwealth.
In 2025, the Department of Education provided Kentucky:
- $274 million for low-income students
- $182 million for special education
- $42 million for teacher training
- $35 million for student support and academic enrichment
“Federal funding fills critical gaps in Kentucky,” said Jason Bailey, executive director of KyPolicy. “Dismantling the Department of Education has the potential to result in sweeping harm in Kentucky, where federal funding is a substantial part of public school budgets and is particularly important in rural districts and to kids with the greatest needs.”
Click here to find fact sheets for each of Kentucky's 171 school districts showing the vital support federal funding provides.
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