Education Update on President's FY2013 Budget
Below you will find an education update on President Obama's FY 2013 Budget Proposal from United Way Worldwide's Manager of Public Policy, Lindsay Torrico:
On Monday, President Obama released his $3.8 trillion FY 2013 budget proposal to Congress, outlining both the Administration’s near-term investments and longer-term priorities. The budget projects over $3 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade, including $1.5 trillion in new revenue. Below is a brief summary of the proposed budget allocations for education programs.
While the proposal provides increases for many education programs, it is unlikely that the President’s spending levels will be approved. In this politically contentious election year, we expect to see significant opposition to the President’s budget. In addition, nearly all of the education programs are subject to the automatic cut of 9 percent under the rules of sequestration.
We are, however, encouraged by the proposed increases in funding for many of the programs we care about. These funding increases reflect the success of United Way’s advocacy efforts in Congress and to the Administration. Even though it is a difficult political environment, we will continue to advocate for education funding and for many of these provisions to be adopted.
Under the President’s proposal:
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) would receive an $825 million increase. Out of the discretionary funding increase, $300 million would be targeted for a new initiative to support child care quality infrastructure, rating systems to help parents identify high-quality child care, and teacher quality improvement. A portion of these new quality funds would be distributed on a formula basis and a portion would be distributed on a competitive basis to states.
Head Start would be increased by $85 million, to $8.054 billion. This funding level would allow a total of 962,000 young children, including approximately 114,000 infants and toddlers in Early Head Start, to continue to receive comprehensive early education services.
Race to the Top, competitive grants for education reform, would receive $850 million in funding. A portion of this Race to the Top funding would be used for Early Learning Challenge Grants for systemic improvements in early care and education programs.
The Grants for Infants and Families program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, would receive an increase of $20 million, to $462.7 million.
21st Century Community Learning Centers, which supports school-age programs, would be level-funded at $1.152 billion. In addition to supporting before- and after-school enrichment programs, the funds could be used to extend the regular school day.
Promise Neighborhoods, which provides competitive grants to help low-income neighborhoods develop and implement comprehensive projects aimed at improving education and life outcomes for children and youth, would increase by $40.1 million over the FY 2012 level, to $100 million.
Title I Grants to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act would receive $14.516 billion in funding in FY 2013, the same as in FY 2012. Local districts can use Title I funding to support early education programs for children birth to age five.
· The Corporation for National and Community Service would receive a 1% increase in funding to $1.1 billion. This includes $50 million for a Social Innovation Fund to seed and scale up innovative programs that leverage private and foundation capital to meet major social challenges. It eliminates the Volunteer Generation Funding, which provides grants to states and nonprofit organizations to recruit and manage volunteers ($4 million reduction), and the Nonprofit Capacity Building Fund, which was intended to provide nonprofits with organizational development assistances, but is not currently funded.
----------------
Education, particularly early childhood education, is a key focus for United Way of Roanoke Valley. When children enter school ready to learn they are more likely to succeed later on in life. Your support allows us to fund programs right here in the Roanoke Valley that will:
- Increase access to quality, affordable child care
- Teach parents the skills needed to ensure that their children are ready for kindergarten
- Ensure that students are able to read and comprehend by third grade
- Connect students with the help they need to stay in school
For more information on United Way of Roanoke Valley's focus on education visit uwrv.org/education-0.
