Texas Foundation School Program: Basic Allotment
Eligibility
Every public school district and open-enrollment charter school in Texas qualifies. The funding is not competitive. Districts with more students receive more total dollars. The per-pupil amount can shift slightly based on state budget cycles, but the formula has remained stable for years.
- Eligible: All Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools
- No application required - funding is automatic and annual
- Allocation is based on enrollment reported in PEIMS
- Flexible use - can fund instructional materials and STEM tools
Program Goals
The Texas Foundation School Program (FSP) is the state's main education funding formula. Every school district receives a base allotment for each enrolled student. This money flows automatically to districts each year, forming the core of every Texas school district's operating budget.
The Basic Allotment is the foundation upon which other weighted allotments (CTE, special education, compensatory education) are calculated. Understanding the Basic Allotment helps educators understand the total funding picture for their district.
Funding Distribution
The current Basic Allotment is approximately $6,160 per student per year, though this can vary slightly with state budget adjustments. A district with 500 students receives roughly $3.08 million annually from the Basic Allotment alone. These funds go into the district's general fund and are available for any educational purpose.
How Districts Use It
Basic Allotment funds are flexible. Districts can spend them on instructional materials, equipment, technology, and curriculum. There is no separate approval process to purchase physical computing tools or STEM kits. If the purchase supports student learning and fits the district's budget plan, it qualifies.
Allowable Purchases
Basic Allotment is unrestricted general revenue. Any educational purchase qualifies. Physical computing kits and STEM curriculum are instructional materials that any district can purchase from their general fund.
Forward Education Tools That Qualify
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micro:bit Classroom Kits
Instructional materials for coding and physical computing courses. At $6,160 per pupil, even a small per-student allocation can equip an entire classroom. No special approval required. -
MicroChat AI Literacy Kit
AI literacy tools and curriculum purchasable from general fund budget. No grant application, no competitive process - just a standard instructional materials purchase. -
Coding for Climate Kit
Cross-curricular coding and science materials. Easy to justify as an instructional materials purchase from the district's general operating budget.
Keep in Mind
Even though Basic Allotment is flexible, your district's curriculum office will want to see how a purchase connects to state standards. Get a TEKS alignment document from Forward Education before submitting a purchase request.
Basic Allotment is your general fund. Use IMA funds (dedicated instructional materials money) first for textbooks and curriculum, then use general fund money for additional tools and technology.
Most Texas districts run on a September-to-August fiscal year. Purchase requests for new STEM tools are most successful when submitted in spring for the following school year budget, or in August when new fiscal year funds become available.
This is the simplest funding path for most Texas schools. Talk to your principal and curriculum director, get a quote, and submit a purchase request. No competitive process, no application, no waiting.
Need Help Writing Your Grant Application?
Forward Education works with schools and districts to build strong funding proposals. We can help you connect our tools to your grant requirements.
- Curriculum alignment documents - TEKS and state standards mapped to our kits
- Program quotes and pricing - classroom sets, bundles, and multi-site pricing
- Letters of support - documentation for grant applications
- Project ideas and scope-and-sequence - ready-to-use program outlines
Download the Forward Education Grant Guide
Our grant guide helps educators find the right funding sources and build strong applications for STEM and coding programs.
Get the Grant Guide
