Level Funding proposed for education
03/08 -- The Bush administration’s proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2009 calls for a new $300 million private school voucher program and generally maintains K-12 funding at $59.2 billion, the same amount approved by Congress for the current year.
The modest funding increases requested for some programs would be offset by eliminating or cutting funding for many other programs.
“We are dismayed that President Bush proposed meager increases amounting to less than the rate of inflation for the nation’s major K-12 programs, including Title I, the main funding source for No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” said NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant.
For Title I, the federal budget requests $14.3 billion, an increase of just $406 million over the current level. The budget calls for $11.2 billion for IDEA, an increase of just $337 million.
In addition, “it is troubling that while the nation is trying to remain globally competitive, the President would eliminate funding for technology and career and technical education,” Bryant said. State technology grants are currently funded at $267.5 million and career and technical education is funded at $1.16 billion.
Those are among 47 education programs proposed for termination for a total savings of $3.2 billion.
The President has requested funding for a federal nationwide voucher program every year, and every year Congress has rejected the notion. This time is not likely to be different.
The 2009 budget calls for a $300 million program called “Pell Grants for Kids” to enable low-income students enrolled in poorly performing public schools to attend a private school or a public school in another district.
“NSBA remains vehemently opposed to spending taxpayer dollars to fund private schools,” Bryant said.
The President is proposing a funding increase for several programs:
• Reading First, currently funded at $393 million, would be restored to its 2007 level of $1 billion.
• Striving Readers would be expanded from $35.4 million to $100 million.
• The Teacher Incentive Fund would be more than doubled from $97.3 million to $200 million.
• The $700 million English language acquisition program would receive a $30 million increase.
• Head Start, currently funded at $6.8 billion would be increased to $7 billion.
Among the programs slated for cuts:
• Teacher Quality state grants, currently funded at $2.93 billion, would be cut by $100 million.
• Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities would be cut from $294.8 million to $100 million.
• Funding under the Secure Rural School Act, which compensates districts for non-taxable federal forest lands, would be cut from $229 million to $195 million.
• The 21st Century Learning Community Centers program would become a voucher program for after-school and summer programs, and funding would be reduced from $1.1 billion to $800 million.
Funding for school improvement grants, impact aid, math and science partnerships, and state assessments would be level-funded.
Reproduced with permission from School Board News. Copyright © 2008, 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.