Congress completed the fiscal year 2012 appropriations process on December 17th, 2011, finalizing annual funding for federal education programs through September 30, 2012 at $68.1 billion, down $233 million from the prior year. It is the first year since 2007 that Congress did not increase total appropriations for education programs. This issue brief is a helpful guide to the appropriations process and recently-enacted fiscal year 2012 education funding. It includes an analysis of funding for major education programs, an explanation of key budget developments and laws that shaped this year's funding, and a retrospective timeline of the 2012 appropriations process. It also includes tables comparing 2012 funding to earlier House and Senate proposals, prior year funding levels, and the president's 2012 budget request. (Contains 20 notes.)