Financing - Spain

The total budget allocated to education in Spain comes from: public funds, which are provided by State, autonomous and local authorities; private funds, which are provided by families; and to a lesser extent, from private institutions. The public or private nature of the ultimate funding agent, rather than the recipient of the services, is what determines whether spending on education is considered to be public or private. 80% of education expenditure in Spain is financed through public funds, while the remaining 20% comes from private funds. In 2005 Spain devoted 4.2% of its gross domestic product to education.
Public funds earmarked to finance Spanish education are provided mainly by the Ministry of Education, Social Policy and Sport as well as the Education Authorities of the corresponding autonomous communities. Other ministries as well as other local and regional authorities also provide funding.
 
Regardless of the authority providing funding, public spending is not earmarked for public education only, but is also allocated to subsidise private establishments and finance student scholarships and grants.
 
Education funding comes from the following sources:

• National Budget
• Autonomous  communities
• Ministry budget

The Budget for Special Education covers the following spending lines:

• Staff expenses
• Operational expenses
• Furniture and inventoried equipment expenses
• Expenses for alterations
• Grants to NGOs
• Grants to private schools with an educational co-operation with the Ministry
• School Canteens
• Hostels located inside the schools
• Financial support for mainstream schools with integration of pupils with SEN
• School transportation
• New building improvement
• Removing architectural, physical barriers

The autonomous communities finance special education in a similar way