Senate approves education appropriations bill
9/23/03 -- Cash-strapped school districts struggling with coming up with enough money to raise student achievement to the levels required by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act aren't likely to get much help from Congress.
The Senate approved an education funding bill Sept. 10 that provides $12.3 billion for Title I for fiscal year 2004, the same amount approved earlier by the House. That comes to a 5 percent increase over FY 2003 levels but is far below the amount authorized.
When Congress approved NCLB, the authorizing legislation called for $18.5 billion for Title I.
The Senate bill would increase total funding for K-12 education by $2 billion, which is roughly a 5 percent increase. The House approved a $1.4 billion increase, or 4 percent.
The entire increase in the Senate bill would go to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the one bright spot in the Senate appropriations bill. During the floor debate, the Senate passed an amendment sponsored by Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), James M. Jeffords (I-Vt.), and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), to increase IDEA funding by $1.2 billion.
The Senate bill already included a $1 billion increase for IDEA, so the amendment would bring total IDEA funding up to $11 billion for 2004, an increase of 20 percent over current levels. The House bill provides $9.8 billion for IDEA, a 10 percent increase.
"We're thankful for the IDEA funding increase [in the Senate bill]. It's a testament to our work in the field and the recognition in the Senate that Congress needs to provide more funding for IDEA," says Dan Fuller, director of federal programs at NSBA. "We're disappointed with the failure to fund an increase for Title I and other programs. Federal funding is still far below the cost for the federal mandates."
The Senate failed to pass an amendment sponsored by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) to provide an additional $6.15 billion to fully fund Title I in FY 2004.
The Senate also rejected amendments to provide $1 billion for school construction and modernization, eliminate mandates under NCLB until Congress adequately funds the law, and increase funding for rural education, Head Start, after-school programs, teacher quality, and impact aid.
The Senate bill generally would freeze or cut most other major education programs. It would eliminate funding for comprehensive school reform and impose major cuts on Even Start and state grants for innovative education.
"Schools have the responsibility to educate the next generation of leaders," Fuller says. "It's increasingly difficult with these tin cup budget proposals. Congress is not making 'adequate yearly progress.'"
Inadequate federal funding for education would pose a hardship to school districts across the country already reeling from state budget deficits.
In Kansas, for example, "state revenues have not been able to support current levels of education and other programs," says Mark Tallman, assistant executive director of the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB). "State aid for schools has been basically frozen for the past three years."
A KASB survey of Kansas school board members reveals "no one believes they're going to have the resources to achieve the goals of NCLB," Tallman says.
"School district budgets are extremely tight," he says. "Things added in the last few years, such as staff development, lower class sizes, after-school tutoring, and early childhood programs, that are not part of the regular education program, are being cut back. These are precisely the kinds of things we need" to bring students up to the levels of proficiency required by NCLB.
"Congress is selling a lofty goal and refusing to follow through," Tallman says. "This is deeply disappointing to educators who share that goal."
Education has been largely spared from the state funding cuts, he says, but some smaller programs were eliminated, such as state aid for professional development. And although that is considered non-essential, it is still important if districts are to close the achievement gap.
A study issued a year ago found Kansas schools are underfunded by some $850 million, Tallman says.
That study looked at state mandates and what the most successful schools were doing but did not even consider the higher expectations required by NCLB.
It isn't known how much more it would cost school districts to implement NCLB, Tallman says. "It requires bringing all kids to proficiency. We've never done that. You can't put a figure on it."
Florida school districts also are facing more demands with shrinking budgets. "We're struggling to meet the needs of huge enrollment growth, a constitutional amendment to limit K-12 class sizes, maintain desegregation orders, and provide choice options," says Ruth Melton, legislative liaison for the Florida School Boards Association.
"To keep all of those balls in the air and meet the NCLB mandates is so unlikely it's next to impossible," Melton says.
While Florida has received an $847 million increase this year, mostly from state funds, more than half is earmarked for class size reduction, she notes.
As a result, districts have made cuts in such areas as athletics, after-school programs, and non-essential course offerings; eliminated or cut back on teacher raises; reduced the number of guidance counselors and other support staff; and cut a half-hour from the school day.
Meanwhile many schools that have shown progress in meeting the state standards have been identified as needing improvement under the federal NCLB.
"In a state with tremendously high rates of mobility and immigration," Melton says, "it's nearly impossible for any school to demonstrate adequate progress among all sub-groups and ensure that 95 percent of all students in each subgroup are tested."
"I'm not sure how states can be expected to implement the NCLB mandates without funding," Melton says. "It's beginning to frighten me. It's like IDEA all over again."
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| Reproduced with permission from the 2003 issue of School Board News. Copyright © 2003, National School Boards Association. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect positions of NSBA. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher. For more information, call (703) 838-6789. |