Bush' ed budget

["Monty Neill" <monty@fairtest.org>]

Here is some info from ASCD on Bush's ed budget; very much resembles previous year. Note that another Bush proposal would require districts to spend 90% of any additional Title I funds on high schools - which get little Title I money, but putting his proposed Title I increase of $1.2 billion with the HS scheme means that elementary schools will get an 'increase' that is less than inflation. And of course he proposes to rob Peter to pay Paul, same as last year. Oh yeah, he proposes more money for the no test company left behind portion of the law. Monty

Bush's Budget Decoded
To kick off discussions for next year's budget, President Bush released his proposed Fiscal Year 2008 budget this morning. 

Although the President proposes maintaining discretionary education spending at $56 billion, looking deeper into these level-funds paints a picture of shifting priorities. 

The President includes several increases and new programs, including a $1.2 billion increase in Title I geared toward high-poverty high schools; however, he also eliminates 43 programs, including Educational Technology State Grants, Even Start, Smaller Learning Communities, State Grants for Innovative Programs, and Tech-Prep Education State Grants. The President also proposes cutting Career and Technical Education State Grants by nearly half to $600 million. 

The proposed budget is only the beginning of the next year's funding debate for fiscal year 2008. Congress has yet to complete its overdue funding bill for fiscal year 2007, which it began considering this time last year when the President released his previous budget proposal. Funding for FY08 is far from set and there will be many opportunities to speak out for education funding as Congress considers the President's budget over the coming months.

The President also proposes:

  a.. A new $500 million program for Title I School Improvement Grants to support state leadership to turn around low-performing schools and districts.
  a.. $411.6 million for state assessment grants to support the development and implementation of two years of high school assessments;
  a.. $300 million to expand school choice and tutoring options, including $250 million for Promise Scholarships to help low-income students in low-performing schools transfer to private schools, public schools in other districts, or to obtain intensive tutoring;
  a.. A $365 million increase to support the American Competitiveness Initiative including increases for Math Now for elementary and middle school students, Advanced Placement, and an Adjunct Teacher Corps to create opportunities for qualified professionals to teach core academic subjects in high-poverty secondary schools, with an emphasis on mathematics and the sciences;
  a.. $1.0 billion for Reading First State Grants and $177.7 million for Early Reading First to consolidate Early Reading First with the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development program; 
  a.. $2.8 billion for Improving Teacher Quality State Grants to help states ensure that all teachers of core academic subjects are highly qualified and to strengthen teachers' subject matter knowledge and teaching skills. The request also includes $199 million to increase support for the Teacher Incentive Fund to encourage States and school districts to develop and implement performance-based financial incentives for teachers and principals. 

Bush's Budget Decoded
To kick off discussions for next year's budget, President Bush released his proposed Fiscal Year 2008 budget this morning. 

Although the President proposes maintaining discretionary education spending at $56 billion, looking deeper into these level-funds paints a picture of shifting priorities. 

The President includes several increases and new programs, including a $1.2 billion increase in Title I geared toward high-poverty high schools; however, he also eliminates 43 programs, including Educational Technology State Grants, Even Start, Smaller Learning Communities, State Grants for Innovative Programs, and Tech-Prep Education State Grants. The President also proposes cutting Career and Technical Education State Grants by nearly half to $600 million. 

The proposed budget is only the beginning of the next year's funding debate for fiscal year 2008. Congress has yet to complete its overdue funding bill for fiscal year 2007, which it began considering this time last year when the President released his previous budget proposal. Funding for FY08 is far from set and there will be many opportunities to speak out for education funding as Congress considers the President's budget over the coming months.

The President also proposes:

  a.. A new $500 million program for Title I School Improvement Grants to support state leadership to turn around low-performing schools and districts.
  a.. $411.6 million for state assessment grants to support the development and implementation of two years of high school assessments;
  a.. $300 million to expand school choice and tutoring options, including $250 million for Promise Scholarships to help low-income students in low-performing schools transfer to private schools, public schools in other districts, or to obtain intensive tutoring;
  a.. A $365 million increase to support the American Competitiveness Initiative including increases for Math Now for elementary and middle school students, Advanced Placement, and an Adjunct Teacher Corps to create opportunities for qualified professionals to teach core academic subjects in high-poverty secondary schools, with an emphasis on mathematics and the sciences;
  a.. $1.0 billion for Reading First State Grants and $177.7 million for Early Reading First to consolidate Early Reading First with the Early Childhood Educator Professional Development program; 
  a.. $2.8 billion for Improving Teacher Quality State Grants to help states ensure that all teachers of core academic subjects are highly qualified and to strengthen teachers' subject matter knowledge and teaching skills. The request also includes $199 million to increase support for the Teacher Incentive Fund to encourage States and school districts to develop and implement performance-based financial incentives for teachers and principals. 
Monty Neill, Ed.D.
Executive Director
FairTest
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Cambridge, MA 02139
617-864-4810    fax 617-497-2224
monty@fairtest.org
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