Roughly $1.9 billion in federal relief funding is helping states keep higher education appropriations flat in fiscal 2021, SHEEO’s analysis found.
Without federal help, however, state support for higher education would have declined by $1.7 billion. Around 70% of states reported lower year-over-year tax appropriations for the sector when adjusted for inflation.
The federal relief is averting declines in higher ed funding for six states, including Texas. For states trimming support to the sector, that aid is reducing the average decline from 6% to 4.4%.