Budget resolutions would increase IDEA funding

4/23/02 – The budget resolution approved by the House March 20 would increase overall discretionary education spending by a disappointing 2.8 percent ($1.4 billion), but does include a healthy increase for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The Senate is expected to consider its budget resolution by the end of the month. The resolution approved by the Senate committee would provide $2.5 billion in new mandatory annual increases for IDEA for six years. It also would provide a record $6.8 billion increase in overall education funding.

Budget resolutions provide general totals within broad categories–not funding amounts for specific programs. And although budget resolutions are non-binding, they set the general spending parameters for the appropriations committees.

The House budget resolution would provide annual increases of 12 percent over the next four years for IDEA. At this rate, it would provide full funding of the federal share of IDEA in 10 years.

"While NSBA has been advocating mandatory funding to achieve full funding within six years, this is a positive step," says Dan Fuller, NSBA's director of federal program.

"That's because the budget resolution creates a 'reserve fund' for IDEA, which would establish and fund annual minimum funding increases for IDEA over the next five years," Fuller says. "The reserve fund is only a floor–not a ceiling–so the appropriations committees could increase funding beyond the amount in the budget resolution."

The House budget resolution also includes language to make it easier for the education committees to make funding for IDEA mandatory as they consider legislation to reauthorize the program.

While NSBA is pleased that the House budget resolution contains a large increase for IDEA, it favors the even larger increase in the resolution approved by the Senate committee.

NSBA also opposes the overall low funding levels for education and two provisions in the House budget resolution to direct public money to private schools.

These provisions include President Bush's proposal for a tax credit that would cover such education expenses as private school tuition, transportation, room and board, books, and computer equipment. This proposal would reduce federal revenue by approximately $3.7 billion over five years.

Fuller calls this provision "bad public policy because it diverts revenue that might otherwise be available to fund programs that were just reauthorized in the No Child Left Behind Act and which would be cut in this same budget resolution."

The House budget resolution also would create a "choice demonstration fund," which would award $50 million for voucher research and a voucher demonstration project.