CEC Policy Insider

What will a $2 billion dollar cut to IDEA and Title I look like to children?

Unfortunately, our children might be able to answer this question very soon. Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to approve a top line number for education funding for Fiscal Year 2014 that – if passed – will likely cut the following programs in the following approximate amounts:

IDEA State grants	11,577,855	10,974,866	8,933,541	-2,041,325
IDEA Preschool grants	372,646	353,238	287,536	-65,702
IDEA Grants for infants and families	442,710	419,653	341,598	-78,055
English Language Acquisition	732,144	693,848	564,792	-129,056
Teacher quality State grants	2,466,567	2,337,567	1,902,780	-434,787
Title I Grants to LEAs	14,516,457	13,760,219	11,200,818	-2,559,401
Impact Aid total	1,291,186	1,223,649	996,050	-227,599

CEC opposes these cuts, which are happening in large part due to sequestration. Want to learn more about sequestration? Read this.

Yesterday, we joined with several other members of the IDEA Full Funding Coalition to express our deep concern about these proposed cuts and let the House know they must oppose this! Read our letter here.  What’s IDEA Full Funding? Read this.

This situation can be stopped. We can change this – join us! Tell your member of Congress to (1) vote against any bill that contains these cuts, (2) speak out against them and (3) tell their colleagues why investing in education is important. Go to our Legislative Action Center and send a letter today.

Our nation’s children need you.

Calling all Stories about the Impact of Sequestration!

CEC is looking for stories about the impact of sequestration – not just the amount of education money cut from the budgets of districts, schools and states, but about the consequences of those budget cuts – layoffs, reduction or changes in services, fewer children/students served, etc. As many of you know, the sequestration cuts came about as part of Congress’s approach to the deficit, and include a 5% across-the-board cut to all education funding, including IDEA. Your district will see this cut in July. For more information on sequestration, you can read our one-pager here.

If you have any stories from your own schools, please send them our way! Reach out to other schools and districts as well. The more stories we have the better we’ll be able to demonstrate to Congress the detrimental consequences of sequestration. We would like to receive a first batch of stories by Tuesday, May 7. You can email them to pubpol@cec.sped.org. Please include your name, your school district, city and state, your role, and a contact phone number.

Help us continue to advocate for children and youth with disabilities, their families and the professionals who work with them. Send us your stories, and then, send a letter to Congress via CEC’s Legislative Action Center telling Congress to protect education funding. We need your help today – make your voice heard!

President’s Budget Proposal Includes Few Increases for Special Education; Expands Investment in Preschool and Overall Education Budget

Today, President Obama released his fiscal year 2014 budget which proposes to increase spending on education programs by 4.5% and repeals the devastating, automatic across-the-board cuts known as sequestration which stripped over $600 million from special education programs. 

While the President’s proposal increases the overall investment in education, funding levels for special education programs would largely remain the same as pre-sequestration funding amounts with a few important exceptions (see full list of programs below).  Funding for IDEA represents 18% of the president’s education budget request.    

• IDEA’s grants to states programs for school aged children would be level funded at $11.6 billion,
• IDEA’s infants and toddlers with disabilities program would be increased by $20 million to $462.7 million,
• IDEA’s preschool program would be level funded at $372.6 million,
• IDEA’s state personnel development grants would be increased by $1.1 million to $45 million,
• IDEA’s personnel preparation grants would be decreased by $2.5 million to $85.8 million,
• IDEA’s technical assistance and dissemination grants would be level funded at $46.8 million,
• IDEA’s parent information centers would be level funded at $28.9 million,
• IDEA’s educational technology, media, and materials would be level funded at $29.6 million,
• Special education research would be increased by $10 million to $59.9 million,
• Special education studies and evaluations would be level funded at $11.4 million.

*It is important to note that these funding comparisons do not take into account the over 5% across-the-board cut imposed by sequestration.  These figures come directly from the U.S. Department of Education’s budget materials. 

While there are aspects of the President’s budget that CEC commends – such as the elimination of sequestration, increases to IDEA’s early intervention and special education research programs – we are greatly concerned that there wasn’t a greater investment in all IDEA programs.   School districts rely on a healthy federal investment in special education to support the implementation of services and supports for students with disabilities.  Unfortunately, the President’s proposal does little to fulfill the federal government’s commitment to fully funding IDEA established in 1975 and never met. CEC will continue to actively advocate to increase funding for all IDEA programs.  If you would like to help us advocate, please let us know by emailing pubpol@cec.sped.org – we need a strong collective voice!!

Other highlights of the President’s proposal include:

• Preschool for All: A new early learning initiative in which the president is proposing $75 billion in over 10 years to provide high-quality, full-day preschool to all 4-year-olds from families whose incomes are at or below 200 percent of the poverty line; with an additional $750 million would be dedicated to states to help build capacity for implementing such programs.  This program would be paid for by increasing the tobacco tax. 
• Reducing School and Community Violence:  To compliment the President’s Now is the Time proposal, which was created in response to the tragedy in Newtown, the budget proposal includes:  $30 million for emergency management grants, $50 million for school climate transformation grants, and $25 million for project prevention grants, a new initiative that would enable school districts with high levels of violence to provide social and emotional supports and mental health services. 
• High School Redesign:  This new initiative proposes $300 million for a competitive grant program to support partnerships between school districts, institutions of higher education, and business, industry, nonprofits and community-based organizations to redesign high schools. 
• STEM Initiatives: The President is proposing several new initiatives to address the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) including $150 million for STEM Innovation Networks to support STEM educators, $80 million for STEM Teacher Pathways to prepare 100,000 new STEM teachers, and $35 million for STEM Master Teacher Corps. 

It is important to note that the President’s budget proposal is not law and is simply an illustration of the Administration’s priorities.  The budget and appropriations process is now underway in Congress and will continue in the months to come.  Stay tuned for updated information! 

More information on the President’s education budget.

Budget Battles Continue … Where will we end up this year and next?

Congress is busy! Right now, it is debating 2 budget measures. First, it has to decide how to fund the government through the end of this Federal fiscal year (Sept 30, 2013) called the continuing resolution. Next, and at the same time, Congress has to decide how to fund the government in the next fiscal year  - 2014! So yes, they actually are busy!

Federal Funding 2013 - Continuing Resolution

For now, sequestration is in place. Thus, this July the government will cut 5% from all federal education programs – unless Congress changes the law. So, it is disheartening, to say the least, that both the Senate and the House version of the continuing resolution (that is, the bill that will fund the federal government through September 30) includes the sequestration cuts. Unless they change this legislation, it appears the cut will occur.

CEC opposes these cuts. They will hurt children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents and the professionals who serve them. We are advocating for a different solution. Want to join us? Send this letter to your members of Congress.

Federal Funding for FY 2014

In the midst of this discussion Congress is also debating its vision for how it should fund the federal government next year in 2014. So, last week, the House introduced its vision for the future of the budget, which CEC opposes because it will deeply cut education. You can read our letter of opposition here. And this week the Senate is debating its vision for the future of the budget, which would eliminate sequestration funding, and boost monies for education. Read our letter of support here.

Congress is busy and so are we! Join us – make your voice heard – send a letter today!

Comment Today: PROMISE Initiative Now Accepting Comments on Key Program Areas

PROMISE, or Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income, is a joint initiative of the Departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services along with the Social Security Administration. Its purpose is to better coordinate and increase use of services such as those provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants program, Medicaid health and home and community based services, Job Corps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Workforce Investment Act programs. 

A small number of competitive, multi-year grants will be awarded to states. Applications for these grants will be submitted by governors and will identify a lead agency that is tasked with managing the program. The grants and service coordination that comes as part of the PROMISE initiative is intended to improve outcomes for children and youth, and their families, from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Department of Education is requesting comments on key program areas of the PROMISE initiative in areas related to the program’s priorities, outreach, technical assistance, and evaluation, among other areas. For more information, and to provide your comments, please click here. Comments will be accepted until March 17, 2013.  

For more information on the PROMISE initiative, please click here.