FY2010 Budget
As of last Sunday, both the House and Senate passed legislation funding the U.S. Department of Education and related programs through FY 2010. This legislation included the Labor HHS Education bill and funded the U.S. Department of Education at $64.7 billion. The President must sign this bill before December 18, when the current continuing resolution ends, and it is expected he will.
Gifted & Special Education Level Funded
CEC is pleased that this legislation will continue funding the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Act, but believes the amount appropriated to the Act is still far below what is needed to allow it to support gifted education nationally. Additionally, although CEC actively encouraged Congress to fully fund IDEA, this bill continues to fund IDEA Part B, IDEA Part B sec. 619, or Part C, at their FY 2009 funding levels. There is some bright news for certain IDEA Part D grant programs, however, which received small but significant increases. Parent Information Centers received an extra $1 million, Technical Assistance and Dissemination also received $1 million and Technology and Media Services received an increase of $5.358 million.
Teacher Incentive Fund Tripled
Notably, one of the administration's top priorities, the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), received a sizeable increase of $303 million, increasing funding for that program from $97 to $400 million. TIF funds systems that provide incentives for the recruitment and retention of teachers linked to raising student achievement. CEC is currently working with members to examine the use of performance incentives and how they impact special and gifted education professionals. CEC has asked its Representative Assembly and its Children and Action Youth Network (CAN) Coordinators to discuss this issue, and recently held an expert advisory group on the subject.
Jobs for Main Street Act, 2010
CEC continues to be concerned about states’ ability to provide basic services and maintain education jobs and the FY 2010 spending bills have not addressed this directly. Last week, CEC joined several other national groups in asking Congress to consider providing extra funding for federal Medicaid services and the state fiscal stabilization fund.
It appears Congress listened. Today, the House is voting on the ‘Jobs for Main Street Act, 2010. This fund has already provided millions of dollars across the nation to education programs but because it was created in ARRA all of its previous funding was limited and had to be obligated by September 30, 2010. An increase in Medicaid and the state fiscal stabilization fund would benefit all education services, and certainly protect some jobs. It is unclear when the Senate will vote on this legislation, but CEC is working to ensure that education is included in any package.
Early Learning Challenge Grants Still on the Horizon
Finally, as we have reported over the last several months, CEC supports the creation of Early Learning Challenge Grants. These would provide $1 billion a year for eight years to help develop and coordinate state early learning systems. Legislation creating these passed the House in September and is currently stalled in the Senate. Work on health care legislation has impeded its progress in the Senate, and recently CEC joined other groups in asking the Senate to return to this important issue immediately after it completes health care reform. CEC, and its Division on Early Childhood (DEC) also joined other national groups in encouraging members to contact the White House to advocate for increased funding for early childhood programs, including IDEA Part B Section 619, Part C and Early Head Start and Head Start, as the Administration considers funding for fiscal year 2011. Funding is a primary concern for our organization and its members and CEC will continue to advocate for increases in needed areas. Please watch the PI for chances to make your voice heard!
Comments