USAFacts weekly newsletter

View in Your Browser Where do public schools get their funding? The school year is well underway, with students cramming for big tests, eating lunch in the cafeteria, and hopefully making it to their bus stop on time. But how is all of it funded? US public schools were given about $1.04 trillion in funding during the 2023–2024 school year. That averages out to $21,100 per student. Almost 90% of that funding was from state and local sources, with the rest coming from the federal government. But the percentages vary depending on the school’s location.   Per-student funding ranged from $13,200 in North Carolina to $37,500 in New York. Cost of living, local property values, and state tax policy all factor into that gap.  State sources covered 45.8% of public school funding, while local sources covered 42.5%. The federal government covered the remaining 11.7%. These percentages have stayed fairly consistent over the past decade.  Most local money for schools comes from property taxes. State money comes mostly from income and sales taxes, with some states adding lottery revenue or tobacco or alcohol taxes.  The federal government provides money for specific programs, such as Title I for schools serving low-income communities and grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for special education. Much of this funding goes to the state, which allocates it to individual school districts. The balance between state and local funding varies. For example, Vermont drew 87.0% of its school funding from state sources and 2.6% from local sources, while its neighbor, New Hampshire, drew 28.4% from the state and 63.3% from local sources.  See the data The US is issuing a record number of passports Got the travel bug? You’re not alone. The State Department is issuing passports at record-high levels, five years after numbers hit a low during the pandemic. Here’s the latest data. There were 183.2 million valid US passports in circulation as of FY 2025 — up 45.5% over the past decade. The State Department issued 27.3 million passports in fiscal year 2025, up 11.6% from FY 2024, and the most since the agency began reporting the data in FY 1996. Issuances fell 43.4% from 2019 to 2020, but they have since risen past pre-pandemic levels. Passport applicants climbed too, reaching 23.3 million in FY 2025, up 14.1% from FY 2024. There are more American passports than passport holders because one person can have both a book and a card. Some travelers can also qualify for a second passport book. Check the article for the reasons why. The passport card, introduced in 2008, works for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and some Caribbean countries — but never for flights. An adult passport stays valid for 10 years; passports for children younger than 16 last for five years. See the data Crash Course videos are live! The first USAFacts + Crash Course video on the US government is now available! Watch Why is American politics so divisive? for background on political divisions dating back decades. And stay tuned next week for the next video! Data behind the news Strong storms in the Atlantic and Pacific brought rain, floods, and strong winds to both the East Coast and Hawaii over the weekend. Severe storms account for nearly one quarter of disaster declarations in the US, while hurricanes make up another 9%. The Navy announced that eight members of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during deployment. Suicide has become the leading cause of death for active-duty service members. Ready for a challenge? It’s weekly fact quiz time.  One last fact Age can be an indicator of how people use artificial intelligence. About 29% to 37% of people in all age groups reported using AI to find factual information. However, 36% of 25- to 39-year-olds used it for brainstorming and idea generation, while 7% of people 65 and older did. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up for your own weekly issu