LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

 

November 17, 2005

 

Perkins Unlikely in 2005: Despite best efforts by the House and Senate, according to Congressional staff it is very unlikely that the Perkins Act be reauthorized this year. Due to the Congress’ heavy and continually growing agenda, the time to convene a conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills became nearly impossible to arrange.

 

Both chambers have made clear that Perkins is still a top education priority, and while nothing is definite, it is expected Congress will pick up Perkins early in 2006. The bills that will be considered by this committee in 2006 are those which passed each chamber earlier this year (H.R. 366 and S. 250). This means that the work on reauthorization will pick up exactly where left off and continue to progress forward. No new legislation will need to be introduced in either chamber.

 

Congress Close to Passing Education Appropriations Bill: After a turbulent appropriations process this year, the Congress has finally reached near completion on its FY06 Labor-HHS- Education Appropriations Act. This bill, H.R. 3010, has progressed through a conference committee and is expected to go to the Senate and House floors as early as today or Friday.

 

Perkins Funding: As expected, the conference committee report sets funding for the Basic State Grant and Tech Prep will remain at FY05 levels, while funding for Tech Prep Demo and Section 118 has been eliminated.

 

PROGRAM	FY05 Appropriations	Proposed FY06 Appropriations
Perkins Basic State Grants	$ 1,194,331,296	$1,194,331,296
Tech Prep	$ 105,811,680	$105,811,680
Tech Prep Demo	$ 4,899,488	$ 0
National Programs	$ 11,757,184	$ 11,757,184
Occupational & Empl. Info ('118)	$ 9,306,944	$ 0
Total	$1,326,105,592	$1,311,900,160

 

ACTION:Contact your legislators and urge them to communicate the following when this bill is voted on the floor in each chamber:

 

• Oppose any cuts to education programs to meet budget targets;
• Support funding for Perkins at least at current levels; and
• Restore funding to Section 118.

Summary of Education Appropriations Conference Report: Overall, this bill provides $56.5 billion for the Department of Education, a $59.1 million (0.1 %) decrease from FY 2005 levels.

Program Increases:

 

• Title I is increased $100 million (less than 1%) over FY 2005, the smallest increase in 8 years and $503 million less than the President’s request.
• IDEA Part B state grants are increased by $100 million, also less than 1% over FY 05, the smallest increase in a decade and $408 million below the President’s request.
• $184 million for math & science partnerships, a 3 %($5 million) increase over FY 05 .

 

Eliminated programs:

• Comprehensive school reform grants ($205 million in FY 2005)

($8 million remain for national activities.)

• Occupational & employment information ($9.3 million in FY 2005).
• Literacy for prisoners ($5.0 million in FY 2005)
• Tech-prep demonstration ($4.9 million in FY 2005)
• Community technology centers ($5.0 million in FY 2005)
• Interest subsidy grants ($1.5 million in FY 2005)

Program Cuts

• Even Start is cut by 56 %, or $125 million to $100 million in FY 2006.
• Education technology is cut by 45 %, or $221 million, to $275 million in FY 2006– on top of a 28 percent cut last year.
• Title V- education block grant for local initiatives is cut in half by $98 million, to $100 million in FY 2006.
• Safe and drug free (SDF) schools grants are cut by 20 %or by $87 million, to $350 million in FY 2006.
• AmeriCorps receives $268 million, a $20 million cut (7.0 %) below FY 2005.
• The conference agreement includes $250 million for the Institute for Museum and Library Services, a $31 million (11 %) cut below FY 2005.

 

Programs Frozen at their FY05 Funding levels:

 

After school centers

Teacher Quality State Grants

Impact Aid

English language acquisition

Reading First

Early Reading First

State Assessments

Rural Education

Smaller Learning Communities.

Vocational education state grants

Adult education state grants

Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants

College Work Study

Perkins Loans

LEAP

TRIO

GEAR UP

 

Funding for New Programs: Teacher Incentive Fund- $100 million.

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Nichole Jackson, Director of Government Relations at NJackson@careertech.org. 

 

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Phone: (202) 737-0303 • Fax: (202) 737-1106

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