Short term Spending bill cuts literacy programs

On Wednesday evening the President signed the two week emergency spending plan called a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government open for two more weeks. Unfortunately, it cut almost every literacy program in the government to zero. Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy, Reading Is Fundamental, National Writing Project, and others. Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy was in the president's budget to be consolidated with other literacy programs, and the other programs are in a category called national earmarks.

Senators Harkin (D-IA) the chair of the education appropriations committee in the Senate and Senator Murray (D-WA) the champion of Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy program were two of nine Senators who voted against the bill and these cuts.

The next stage is the construction of the longer term CR. This process is beginning now; but the Senate isn't sure if it is starting with the House passed bill that cuts $66 billion or will be building their own. The Senate Democratic leadership knows that it needs to keep focus on several critical education programs, but there is not agreement on how to prioritize between the formula programs (Title I and IDEA) and programs such as the School Improvement Grants. Also looming is the resolution of where to get the $5 billion to fund the PELL grants (this money has already been spent).