The Claim: "The Dept of Education spent $268 Billion last year. Only 25% ($68B) of it went to public school students. $79B went to discretionary spending for office parties, team lunches, etc."
Introduction
The claim suggests that in the last fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) allocated $268 billion, with only 25% of that amount—$68 billion—directed towards public school students. Additionally, it asserts that $79 billion was spent on discretionary expenses such as office parties and team lunches. This claim raises questions about the distribution of educational funding and the transparency of spending within the DOE.
What We Know
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Department of Education Budget: The DOE's budget for fiscal year 2024 is reported to be approximately $268 billion, which represents about 4% of the total federal budget of $6.8 trillion 6.
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Funding for Public Schools: According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the federal government contributes roughly 8% of funding for public schools, with the majority coming from state and local sources. The DOE's contribution to public school funding is often cited as around $15 billion to $20 billion annually 5.
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Discretionary Spending: The claim regarding $79 billion spent on discretionary expenses lacks substantiation in available data. The DOE's budget includes various categories of spending, but specific allocations for office parties or team lunches are not typically detailed in budget summaries.
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Analysis of Spending: A report from Politifact indicates that less than 25% of the DOE's budget goes directly to public K-12 education, but the exact percentage can vary based on how one defines "funding for public school students" 7.
Analysis
The sources available for this claim present a mixed picture:
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Credibility of Sources: The U.S. Department of Education's official budget summary 2 is a primary source that provides a comprehensive overview of how funds are allocated. However, the interpretation of what constitutes funding for public school students can vary, leading to potential discrepancies in reported figures.
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Bias and Reliability: Sources like Politifact 7 are generally considered reliable due to their fact-checking methodology, which includes sourcing information from official documents and expert opinions. However, the source of the claim regarding discretionary spending appears to be unverified and lacks specific documentation.
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Methodological Concerns: The assertion that $79 billion was spent on discretionary items raises questions about the methodology used to arrive at this figure. Without clear documentation or breakdowns of discretionary spending, it is difficult to assess the validity of this claim.
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Conflicts of Interest: Some sources may have inherent biases based on their affiliations or the political context in which they operate. For instance, articles from educational advocacy groups may emphasize certain aspects of funding to support their agendas.
What Additional Information Would Be Helpful
To fully evaluate the claim, the following information would be beneficial:
- A detailed breakdown of the DOE's budget, specifically categorizing expenditures related to public school funding versus discretionary spending.
- Clarification on how "funding for public school students" is defined and measured, including what types of programs and services are included in this category.
- Independent audits or analyses of the DOE's spending to verify claims about discretionary expenses.
Conclusion
Verdict: Unverified
The claim that the U.S. Department of Education spent $268 billion last year, with only 25% allocated to public school students and $79 billion on discretionary spending, remains unverified. While the overall budget figure is accurate, the specific allocations mentioned lack sufficient evidence. The DOE's contribution to public school funding is generally reported to be significantly lower than the claimed $68 billion, and the assertion regarding $79 billion in discretionary spending is not substantiated by credible sources.
It is important to note that the interpretation of what constitutes funding for public school students can vary, leading to potential discrepancies in reported figures. Additionally, the lack of detailed documentation on discretionary spending raises further questions about the validity of the claim.
Readers should be aware of the limitations in the available evidence and the potential for bias in various sources. Therefore, it is crucial to critically evaluate information and seek out reliable data when assessing claims related to government spending.
Sources
- Budget - Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved from https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/budget
- Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Summary. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/about/overview/budget/budget24/summary/24summary.pdf
- 2025-26 governor's budget summary - CA.gov. Retrieved from https://ebudget.ca.gov/2025-26/pdf/BudgetSummary/FullBudgetSummary.pdf
- United States Department of Education - Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education
- How the Department of Education spent $268 billion last year. Retrieved from https://san.com/cc/how-the-department-of-education-spent-268-billion-last-year/
- What does the Department of Education do? Retrieved from https://usafacts.org/explainers/what-does-the-us-government-do/agency/us-department-of-education/
- Does less than 25% of Education Department spending go ... Retrieved from https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/mar/20/harriet-hageman/does-less-than-25-of-education-department-spending/
- How the Department of Education spent $268 billion last year (video). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9ATLAHwqCQ
- Higher Ed State Funding Report | NEA. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/he_funding_report
- DIGGING DEEPER: Spending within the U.S. Department ... Retrieved from https://www.kttc.com/2025/02/05/digging-deeper-spending-within-us-department-education/
