Educators’ voices lead to wins for students most in need in Federal final funding bill

The NEA-supported FY2014 omnibus funding bill to be signed into law by  President Obama largely restores funding to pre-sequester levels for key programs serving the students most in need. While the bill is not perfect, it does begin to reverse the austerity approach that has been so harmful to schools. Congress would not have gotten the funding priorities right had it not been for months of advocacy by educators nationwide. Among the highlights:

• K-12 – 86% of cuts in Title I and IDEA grants restored, and 100% of cuts restored in Impact Aid, 21st century after-school program, TRIO and GEAR Up, education for the homeless, and math-science partnerships
• Early childhood – 57,000 lost Head Start seats fully restored, $500 million more for Early Head Start, $250 million for states for pre-K initiative for 4-year-olds
• Post-secondary prep – 94% of cuts in Perkins career and technical education grants restored

The measure also provides much-needed flexibility in the School Improvement Grant program, which augments resources for struggling students and schools. Two new approaches to transformation – a whole school reform model and a flexible reform option subject to approval by the state and Secretary of Education – mirror an NEA-supported amendment to ESEA reauthorization previously included in Senate    legislation.