The departments devote 5.9% of their operating expenses to the teaching function (essentially for the colleges). Transport, roads and highways are the third function by their weight in the operating expenses of the departments.
Conversely, these functions are the main recipients of investment expenditure: 35.7% of this expenditure is allocated to the transport, roads and roads functions (the departments are in charge in 2021 of more than a third of the French network excluding National Network).
The second function in which the departments invest the most is education (22.6% of investment expenditure). These expenses are entirely dedicated to their skills in the construction and maintenance of colleges.