Senate committee calls for minimal increases for Title I and IDEA

08/02/05–The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an education funding bill July 14 that includes an even smaller increase for some major programs than the House appropriations bill.

The Senate spending bill for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments for fiscal year 2006 would increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) state grants by just $100 million, which is $50 million less than the amount approved earlier by the House Appropriations Committee.

Both the House and Senate bills would increase Title I grants to school districts by $100 million.

Current year funding levels are $12.7 billion for Title I and $10.6 billion for IDEA.

The appropriations bills are expected to be taken up on the floor of the House and Senate in September. NSBA is urging Congress to provide increases of $1 billion each for Title I and IDEA, as well as substantial increases for education technology and Title V.

The Senate bill includes $425 million for education technology grants, and the House bill includes $300 million. The President’s budget proposals called for this program to be eliminated.

For Title V innovation grants, the Senate bill matches the President’s proposal of cutting funding from the current level of $198.4 million to $100 million. The House bill would retain the current funding level.

Both bills provide about $1.3 billion for vocational and technical education, while President Bush proposed terminating these programs.

The Senate committee did not approve any money for the President’s proposed teacher incentive fund, aimed at providing merit pay. The President had requested $500 million, and the House bill includes $100 million. Neither bill provides any money for the White House high school reform proposals.

On a related issue, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) has dropped plans to introduce an amendment to an appropriations bill for the District of Columbia to expand the D.C. voucher program.

The proposal would have increased the amount of the vouchers from $7,500 to as much as $11,500 per student. It also would have extended the program beyond the city limits to include private and religious schools in Maryland and Virginia.