Parents as Donors: Results From a National Survey on Giving to K–12 Education in the United States

In the United States, a substantial share of philanthropic giving supports educational causes, yet comparatively little is known about donations made by parents and families to K–12 education. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 2,474 parents with at least one child enrolled in kindergarten through high school, this study examines the prevalence, magnitude, and distribution of family giving across public, charter, and private schools. We find that approximately one in four U.S. families with school-aged children reported making a donation related to K–12 education in the past year, with most contributions ranging between US$50 and US$500. Families with children enrolled in private and charter schools are significantly more likely to donate than those with children in public schools, and families with children in private schools also tend to give larger amounts.