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Maryland: every school dollar
Where Maryland's public school money comes from, where it goes, what Washington sends, and how the state spends its lottery money. Select any line for more.
- Public school money, 2023-24$21.3 billion
- Spent per student, day to day$20,208U.S.: $17,619
- Students889,72824 school systems
- Lottery money to education$698 millionFY2025
Where the money comes from
$21.3 billion in the 2023-24 school year. Select federal, state or local to see every line.
Federal $2.0 billion9.4%
Inside the federal total: $710 million of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.
State $9.4 billion44.1%
Local $9.9 billion46.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file
Where it goes
$20.1 billion spent. Select support services for every line.
Inside these totals: $10.6 billion in salaries and wages, $3.5 billion in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $7.1 billion.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file
Spending per student over time
Not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 20. summary tables
What Washington committed
Department of Education money committed for use in Maryland in fiscal year 2025: $1.5 billion. The programs below include money from Agriculture (school meals) and Health and Human Services (Head Start), and college aid (Pell).
Why this differs from the federal line above: that line is what Maryland's schools received in the 2023-24 school year (Census). This one is what Washington committed in a later federal year, including college aid, which schools never receive.
| Program | What it is | Maryland | Share of the national total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pell Grants | College grants to students with financial need | $570 million | 1.4% |
| School lunch | National School Lunch Program (Department of Agriculture) | $413 million | 1.5% |
| Title I | Grants to schools with many students from low-income families | $313 million | 1.7% |
| Special education (IDEA) | Grants to states for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21 | $249 million | 1.8% |
| Head Start | Early childhood programs (Department of Health and Human Services) | $138 million | 1.2% |
| Title II, teachers | Supporting effective instruction: teacher and principal training | $29.9 million | 1.4% |
| After school (21st Century) | 21st Century Community Learning Centers | $26.2 million | 2.0% |
| Title IV-A | Student support and academic enrichment grants | $23.8 million | 1.7% |
| Career and technical education | Perkins basic grants to states | $20.8 million | 1.5% |
| English learners (Title III) | English language acquisition grants | $17.2 million | 2.0% |
| Federal Work-Study | Part-time jobs for college students with need | $16.7 million | 1.5% |
| College opportunity grants (SEOG) | Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants | $14.4 million | 1.6% |
| Special education, preschool | Preschool grants for children with disabilities, ages 3 to 5 | $7.4 million | 1.8% |
| Impact Aid | Payments to districts with federal land or military families | $6.0 million | 0.4% |
Source: USAspending.gov, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Federal fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), money committed (obligated) by state where it is used. usaspending.gov
How is Maryland spending the education lottery money?
State law sends traditional lottery money left after prizes, expenses and fixed stadium and other payments to the General Fund, and sends the remainder of casino video lottery terminal proceeds to the Education Trust Fund. The lottery began in 1973.
What the law says
The promise: Video lottery terminal (casino slot) proceeds left after the listed percentage payments go to the Education Trust Fund; traditional lottery profit has no education share and goes to the General Fund after statutory payments.
Md. Code, State Gov't 9-120(b)(1)(xv); State Gov't 9-1A-27(a)(10) mgaleg.maryland.gov
- Tickets sold$5.2 billion p. 49
- Prizes 32%$1.7 billion p. 49
- Retailers 4%$196 million p. 49
- Running the lottery 1%$71.5 million p. 49
- Sent to the state for its programs 31%$1.6 billion p. 11
- Other costs and reserves 32%$1.7 billion tickets sold minus the rows above
- Of what was sent to the state, to education$698 million p. 11
Of every dollar of Maryland lottery tickets sold in FY2025, 13 cents reached education.
What it paid for, FY2025
Payments made during the year. They include money earned in earlier years, so they do not add up to the year's total sent to education.
- Maryland’s Education Trust Fund (casino contributions)$606 million p. 11
- Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund (sports wagering and fantasy competition contributions)$91.7 million p. 11
- Traditional Lottery profit returned to the State$667 million p. 11
- Payments to State of Maryland General Fund$519 million p. 49
Since 1973: $20.7 billion p. 10 to education in total.
What auditors found
"In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the respective"
Every school system in Maryland
24 school systems reported to the Census Bureau for 2023-24. See each one's money in and money out.
The record
- School money: Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024, U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances. The district totals for Maryland were added up and checked against the Census state table on seven totals. census.gov
- Federal money: Federal education spending, fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025). Money committed, by the state where it is used. usaspending.gov
- Lottery: Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Years Ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, 2025-12-19. mdgaming.com
- Lottery: Md. Code, State Government 9-1A-27, Maryland General Assembly. mgaleg.maryland.gov
- Lottery: Md. Code, State Government 9-120, Maryland General Assembly. mgaleg.maryland.gov
- Checked November 2, 2026. How we track it · Report an error
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How is Maryland spending the education lottery money?
- Public school money, 2023-24$21.3 billion
- Spent per student$20,208
- Lottery money to education, FY2025$698 million
- Of each lottery dollar sold13 cents to education
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