President's 2018 Budget

July 13, 2017

Budget Cuts to be Felt Across the Education Spectrum, According to Practitioners

WASHINGTON, DC – The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), the nation’s oldest and largest education coalition, today released its annual analysis of the President’s education budget. CEF shared the findings at a Capitol Hill briefing where education practitioners outlined the major local impacts of the President’s proposed cuts across the education continuum.

The President’s fiscal year 2018 budget disinvests in education, cutting more than $9 billion in federal appropriations for preschoolers, students in elementary school, children who use afterschool programs, high schoolers seeking preparation for the workforce, adult learners, teachers and school leaders, schools and institutions, and low-income Americans who rely on federal aid to go to college. The President’s budget also eliminates funding for education-related services including libraries and museums, and cuts student loans by $143 billion over ten years.

“Investing in education pays dividends immediately and in the long term. To keep America strong and prepared to compete in the global economy, we should be increasing – not cutting – the federal investment in education,” said CEF Executive Director Sheryl Cohen.

Each year CEF publishes a detailed, program-by-program analysis of the President’s budget request for education programs, complete with charts and tables showing the funding history and illustrating the reach and impact of federal education investments. The book is a resource for Members of Congress and their staffs, as well as for others interested in understanding the importance and scope of federal education programs and services.

“Investments in education currently account for only 2 percent of the federal budget, and the President’s request reduces the share even further as part of a deep, multi-year cut in nondefense discretionary funding,” said CEF President Jocelyn Bissonnette, Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). “Drastic cuts to federal education investments will reduce opportunities for students across the education spectrum, impacting student achievement, graduation rates, college affordability, and workforce readiness.”

To illustrate the importance of federal education funding and highlight the local impact of the President’s proposed cuts, CEF hosted a panel today on Capitol Hill of education practitioners with experience implementing education programs for early childhood education, elementary and secondary education, adult education and workforce training, and postsecondary student aid, as well as an advocate from PTA.

Educators shared today the impact the budget would have locally:

“Federal support for special education only covers 15 percent of the additional cost of educating students with disabilities, which is far below the 40 percent promised when Congress enacted IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Without an increased federal investment, state and local education budgets have to make up the shortfall, which limits their ability to finance other education services.  We know that as a result of this shortfall, local and state funds must cover the costs of IDEA programming thus preventing LEAs from expanding in other areas, especially early childhood.” – Phyllis Wolfram, Executive Director of Special Programs for Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MO, and President-Elect, Council of Administrators of Special Education

“Students in WV and all of Appalachia desperately need the funds provided through federal education funding.  Our local resources are limited due to a low tax base; and our children’s needs our great.  Federal dollars help us provide some of the specialized help we need for these youngsters.” – Deborah Akers, Superintendent, Mercer County Schools, Mercer County, WV

“The President’s budget would impose devastating cuts to important federal financial aid programs that allow low-income students to attend college and attain their degrees. These cuts jeopardize the next generation of young workers. In particular, Federal Work-Study and the Federal Perkins Loan assist low- and middle-income students in different ways in their pursuit of a higher education.” – Heather Boutell, Director of Financial Aid, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY

“Our goal is to provide the same high-quality adult education and workforce services to all areas – rural, suburban, and urban – and that can’t happen when federal support is drastically cut.  We’ve already seen funding cuts, and witnessed the erosion of our workforce development infrastructure, particularly in the more rural areas. The President’s budget would make it much harder to serve the 250,000 people in the many counties we cover.” – Jan McKeel, Executive Director, South Central TN Workforce Alliance, Spring Hill, TN

“In New Jersey and across the country, there are great disparities in available resources and access to quality education programs. Cutting funding for public education would further undermine opportunity for all children. Greater investments in public education programs that promote equity and opportunity are critical to ensure every child reaches their full potential.” – Rose Acerra, President, New Jersey PTA

March 16, 2017

“We should be investing in education, not cutting federal support”

Washington, DC – Sheryl V. Cohen, Executive Director of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), issued the following statement on the President’s education budget request for fiscal year 2018. CEF, the nation’s oldest and largest education coalition, is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that reflects the broad spectrum of the education community from early childhood education, elementary and secondary education, and higher education, to adult and workforce education including students, teachers and faculty, parents, administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, librarians, other school personnel, and school board members.

“The President’s budget slashes federal investments in education by $9 billion (13 percent), hurting students in the short term and slowing the nation’s economic growth in the long term. Fiscal constraints require investments that show great returns – and investing in education does just that by helping students learn and succeed, creating a future workforce that is globally competitive, and lowering the costs to society that occur when we fail to adequately educate and create opportunity for all our children.”

“Education funding is already low – Congress has eliminated 50 education programs since 2010, and federal education spending is now below the 2010 level excluding Pell grants. In fact, we spend only two cents of every federal dollar on education even though we know education investments pay dividends.”

“The President’s budget should continue the government’s efforts to ensure all students have access to high-quality public schools and affordable higher education. The budget should increase federal investments in education, which boost the economy, help students, and make the nation stronger.”