The U.S. Department of Education serves as a conduit for billions of dollars in federal aid that flow to state and local education agencies.
November 18, 2025
high
structural
Describes the Department of Education's role in distributing federal education funding.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a primary mechanism through which colleges and universities determine and provide financial aid packages to incoming students, and the U.S. Department of Education provides support for people completing the FAFSA.
November 18, 2025
high
structural
Role of FAFSA in college financial aid and Department of Education support services.
American K-12 schools and colleges are funded primarily by state and local government revenue rather than by the federal government.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
General funding structure for U.S. primary, secondary, and higher education.
The federal student loan portfolio managed by the U.S. Department of Education is approximately $1.6 trillion.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Scale of federal student loan debt under Department of Education management.