Distributed via Email: February 24, 2012
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT (ESEA) UPDATE
On Feb. 9, U.S. Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, formally introduced two bills: the Student Success Act ( H.R. 3989 ) and Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act ( H.R. 3990 ) . These bills reflect several changes to the earlier discussion drafts released on Jan. 6.
The legislation establishes a new accountability system that delegates authority and flexibility to the states and local school districts and provides for adequate time to design, develop and implement strategies over a two-year time frame. The legislation also:
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FY13 BUDGET PROPSAL
President Obama introduced his Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Budget Proposal on Feb. 13. His proposal calls for level funding of Title I, which should be considered a decrease because of the higher demand placed on these funds by the increase of children in poverty. He also proposes level funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Level funding for IDEA puts the funding level for this federal mandate at around 16%, which is significantly below the 40% funding level promised when the mandate was passed.
Not only does he propose to fund the two most significant federal education programs at last year’s level, but he proposes an increase to two of his competitive grant programs – Race to the Top ($300 million increase) and the Promise Neighborhoods Program ($40 million increase). He also includes level funding of another competitive grant program, the Investing in Innovation grant program.
Last year, Congress was never able to pass an actual FY 12 budget; they just passed a series of continuing resolutions that funded the federal government at .189% below FY 11 for most domestic programs. The House Appropriations Subcommittee that is responsible for education funding also proposed the elimination of Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation grant programs. In lieu of those programs, the subcommittee wanted that money redirected to Title I and IDEA, the programs that benefit a majority of school districts.
Another concern to add to the situation is the Budget Control Act, which is the result of the compromise on raising the debt limit. The Budget Control Act calls for a cut of $1.2 trillion from the federal budget over 10 years. FY 13 is the start of those cuts. It is estimated that the Budget Control Act could cut the U.S. Department of Education budget by $3.5 billion, or 7.8%. That could result in a $1 billion cut to Title I and a $900 million cut to IDEA, the very programs that are underfunded right now.
There is talk about amending the Budget Control Act to mitigate the cuts to defense spending and those in the education field are hoping that discussion might carry over to a discussion on the need to lessen the cuts to education funding.
SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION
The President included $30 billion to help “modernize” at least 35,000 school districts. Modernization includes, but is not limited to, upgrades to science and technology labs, infrastructure improvements, and green initiatives. There is similar legislation in the Senate ( S. 1597 ), the Fix America’s Schools Today (FAST) Act, that would invest $25 billion in grants for school repairs and renovation. S. 1597 is scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor in a couple of weeks.
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