This page tracks the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 federal budget and appropriations process, including funding levels for programs that benefit middle and high schools. It will be updated as warranted.

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, which began on October 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education is currently being funding under a temporary continuing resolution. Temporary funding levels for specific education programs under the continuing resolution are available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget12/12actioncr.pdf.

Obama’s Budget Increases Spending on Education

Released on February 14, 2011, President Obama’s FY 2012 budget proposes spending $48.8 billion in discretionary funds for the U.S. Department of Education (ED), a 4.6 percent increase over FY 2010. The increase for ED represents a sharp contrast to the funding cuts Obama proposes for many other federal agencies. The president’s budget also proposes eliminating thirteen programs while consolidating an additional thirty-eight programs into eleven. Read more about the president’s FY 2012 budget proposal.

Additional information on the president’s budget proposal for ED, including program descriptions and proposed funding levels, is available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget12/summary/12summary.pdf.

Additional Resources: Tracking the Appropriations Process

U.S. Department of Education Releases Additional Details on Fiscal Year 2012 Funding Levels (October 17, 2011): Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education (the department) made available a table showing proposed funding levels in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 for all programs under its jurisdiction based on three scenarios: (1) President Obama's budget request; (2) the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education appropriations bill that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on September 21; and (3) the draft Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill released by the House Appropriations Committee on September 29. 

Congress Begins Work on FY 2012 Funding for U.S. Department of Education as New Fiscal Year Begins (October 4, 2011): Because Congress failed to pass any spending bills prior to the start of Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 on October 1, it was necessary to clear a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government through October 4 and provide Congress with more time to negotiate a long-term solution. During the week of October 3, Congress is expected to clear another CR that will keep the government running through November 18. 

Duncan Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the U.S. Department of Education's Budget (September 6, 2011): On July 27, just a few days before the nation was expected to run up against the debt limit, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan testified before the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Committee. Given the timing of the hearing, spending priorities were a popular topic among senators from both parties. 

House Republicans Release Draft FY12 Spending Allocations (May 17, 2011): Total discretionary federal spending would fall by approximately $30 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 compared to FY 2011 under spending allocations announced on May 11 by the House Appropriations Committee. 

Secretary Duncan Defends Obama's FY 2012 Budget Before Senate Budget Committee (March 7, 2011): While Congress continues to negotiate the spending levels for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan appeared before the Senate Budget Committee on March 1 to discuss President Obama's FY 2012 budget request, which proposes a 4.6 percent increase for the U.S. Department of Education compared to FY 2010. Although Senators from both parties on the committee recognized the importance of education to the country's future, they pressed Duncan on the education budget, saying it also had to be part of the economic solution.