Fiscal Year 2024 Education Appropriations: A Guide for Policymakers. Issue Brief No. 5325

In the fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations process, Congress has an opportunity to restore fiscal sanity to federal education spending. President Joe Biden launched the FY 2024 appropriations process recklessly, calling for $90 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Education, a $10.8 billion (13.6 percent) increase from FY 2023. Large spending requests such as this must be met with scrutiny, especially when, after 40 years, there is scant evidence that the Department of Education has benefited American students or used taxpayer money effectively, despite having the sixth-largest budget in the entire U.S. government. This Issue Brief guides lawmakers on additional specific cuts and limitations to continue to rein in the Department of Education's size, scope, and spending.