Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
Witness: Education Secretary Arne Duncan
June 3, 2009
Context: The Administration recently released President Obama's Fiscal Year 2010 budget request which seeks $46.7 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Education. The request represents an increase of $1.3 billion over the Fiscal Year 2009 education budget and builds on the education investments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies invited Secretary Duncan to further outline and answer questions regarding the President's key education proposals in the FY2010 budget at a hearing on June 3, 2009.
Testimony Summary: The House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees invited Secretary Duncan to testify on the President's FY2010 budget proposal for education initiatives. Senator Harkin and Rep. Obey opened their respective committees by praising the administration's work thus far with the Recovery Act and the proposals set forth in the FY 2010 budget, yet both also expressed concerns for programs that were either cut or eliminated. Rep. Obey expressed concern over the cut in the base of Title I funds as well as concern for the Pell grant shifting to a mandatory entitlement program, a sentiment that was later echoed by multiple members of the committee. Another area of conern noted by Rep. Obey was the large increase in funds for the Teacher Incentive Fund prior to having a large scale evaluation of the program.
Sen. Harkin also expressed concern over Title I funds and IDEA, specifically questioning what will happen to the Title I and IDEA budget in the coming years when ARRA funds for these programs run out. Sen. Harkin also expressed concern that funding for school building renovations and repair were not included in ARRA and would like to see this addressed in future legislation.
Secretary Duncan in his testimony outlined the President's agenda by acknowledging that stimulus money has already helped multiple school districts avert layoffs and shortages, and that the Department is working tirelessly to get these funds out the door as quickly as possible. The Secretary outlined the administration's agenda from early childhood through postsecondary education with a particular emphasis on Title I Early Childhood Grants, Early Learning Challenge Grants, and Striving Readers; the Teacher Incentive Fund and School Leadership Program in the area of high quality teaching and leadership; the Pell grant and Perkins loan programs, as well as the Access and Completion Incentive Fund in the area of postsecondary education. The Secretary also emphasized the administration's commitment to helping the country's most struggling schools with Title I School Improvement Grants and the What Works and Innovation Fund to scale up successful models, as well as through Charter School Grants, the High School Graduation Initiative and Promise Neighborhoods.
Discussion Focus: Members in both Subcommittees expressed concern over a number of programs in early childhood, K-12 education, and in college access in the FY2010 budget.
Members of the House Subcommittee expressed concern over the proposed elimination of the Even Start program and the Striving Readers program not sufficiently replacing all of Even Start's programmatic components. The Secretary noted that there have been three national evaluations conducted on the Even Start program which demonostrated a lack of significant gains resulting in the program's proposed elimination. Member of the Senate Subcommittee asked whether states with existing preschool programs, would be eligible for the President's proposed Early Learning Challenge Fund. Secretary Duncan stated that these states would be able to use stimulus and Title I funds as the match to receive Early Learning Challenge Fund dollars. Addionally, the Secretary expressed support for using funds from the President's proposed High School Graduation Initiative a range of activities including investing in early learning, remarking that early interventions early on in order to reduce the dropout rate.
Regarding school turnaround and dropout prevention, members on both subcommittees expressed support for scaling up programs that work such as GEAR UP, TRIO, charter schools, dual enrollment and early colleges, as well as expanding the school day and school year. While the Secretary noted that the charter school cap will not be used as a litmus test for states applying for Race to the Top funds, it may be one of the questions that is considered as charter schools are one piece of the answer to turning around low performing schools. Secretary Duncan also emphasized using Race to the Top funds and Innovation funds to invest dollars in what works and scaling up successful models.
Members in the Senate and House subcommittees also expressed concern over the large proposed increase in the Teacher Incentive Fund program and sought justification for this expansion. Secretary Duncan emphasized that these funds will be used to incentivize the best teachers to teach in the lowest performing schools, and that great teachers and leaders are the common denominator for successful schools.
Analysis: While the Administration's focus on school turnaround efforts, incentivizing highly qualified teachers, and bold, innovative reforms in early childhood, K-12 as well as higher education are all issues that resonate with members of both Appropriations Subcommittees, there appears to be some concern over how these issues should be addressed in the FY2010 budget. Additionally, both Subcommittees expressed concern over the base budget cuts in Title I and IDEA in FY2010 and were skeptical as to how these funds would be increased in the future after stimulus money runs its course. However, there seems to be bi-partisan support in both legislative bodies for the administration's education agenda.