Funding Crisis
House Appropriations – for this upcoming school year, 2011-2012
Many states are cutting back education funding because of lack of resources and, now, the federal government’s support for education is in question. Many states and local districts are preparing their budgets for next year. These budgets are frequently predicated upon federal funding that is now in jeopardy.
On Friday evening, February 11th the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations released their spending plan for the current fiscal year, which is for school year 2011-2012.
The Committee has proposed cuts to a wide range of literacy programs including:
Title I (cut of $693.5 million)
IDEA (cut of $ 557.7 million)
Even Start (cut 100%)
Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program (cut 100%)
National Writing Project (cut 100%)
Reading is Fundamental (cut 100%)
The Committee is proposing to zero out 38 programs and reduce over 50 others. This reduces education funding by over 10%, when including the need to fund the Pell Grant shortfall.
The House of Representatives will be voting on this measure by Friday February 18th. If you wish to comment on this issue call 202-225-3121 and ask for your member of Congress. Read the complete funding bill at: http://appropriations.house.gov
President’s Budget for next school year, 2012-2013
On Monday, February 14, 2011 the President released his budget proposal for the following fiscal year (FY 12) and school year (2012-2013). His spending plan calls for an increase in several key areas, including Title I and IDEA, Race to the Top (but for school districts, not states), Innovation, teacher education and professional development, and several other areas. As he did last year, the President proposes to consolidate most literacy programs into a professional-development-for-literacy initiative for age 0 to grade 12.
For more details on the education budget go to:
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/education-budget-makes-tough-choices-allow-new-investments-early-learning-reform
IRA Webinar on Funding, Wed., Feb. 16, 8 PM EST
IRA is hosting this webinar on funding issues to give you an opportunity to gain more background while you make a decision on how best to approach your members of Congress. In addition we will update you on the rewriting of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). To sign up for this webinar go to:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEE3NEd0Z21PczdkT1Bxek80VEt0REE6MQ
Overall
The funding issue can always be confusing, but if you look at it as two streams; one for the upcoming (2011-2012) school year, and the other for the following (2012-2013) school year, it will be a bit easier.
Of immediate concern: How much will the House demand in funding cuts for education for the coming school year? We know the deficit is large; but the House proposal is to cut from only a small part of the budget. (The education share of the budget is 2 %.) Please consider listening to the webinar or downloading it to get a clearer picture.
Important Dates:
IRA Legislative Workshop: On March 17th and 18th in Washington, DC IRA will host a legislative workshop for IRA
members. (The third in this series will be on June 27th & 28th.)