"Sequestration sends a signal that the United States is backtracking on its commitment to reform and its long-standing promise to promote equity through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA."
Fiscal year 2013 is a little more than two months away and sequestration kicks in three months after that on January 2nd -- so it's critically important that we – and the American people – fully understand the consequences of sequestration and take steps to avoid it now.
The sequestration will put at risk all that we've accomplished in education and weaken programs that help children, serve families, send young people and adults to college and make the middle class American dream possible.
Let's begin with education:
Sequestration sends a signal that the United States is backtracking on its commitment to reform and its long-standing promise to promote equity through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
Based on the Congressional Budget Office's projection that sequestration will reduce programs by 7.8 percent, here's what we know will be at risk:
Read Secretary Duncan's full testimony:
Testimony of Secretary Duncan before the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee | U.S. Department of Education
July 25, 2012
Related articles and info.:
Click here to read Secretary Duncan’s testimony.
Related articles:
The cuts are expected to begin taking effect in January under a process known as sequestration which was triggered last year when Congress failed to reach a budget deal. Under the plan, education programs as well as most other federal initiatives will be subject to an across-the-board spending reduction of about 8 percent.
Unless Congress acts, special education cuts would impact schools starting in the fall of 2013, Duncan said.
“We all know that there are steps we can take so we don’t have to start down this path that puts so many critical services to students, families and communities at risk,” Duncan told senators. “As everyone knows, sequestration does not have to happen and should not happen.”
If the budget cuts go through as planned, federal spending on special education would fall to 14.5 percent, the lowest rate seen since 2001, according to an estimate from the Council for Exceptional Children, a national group that lobbies on behalf of special educators. (July 26, 2012)
Fiscal year 2013 is a little more than two months away and sequestration kicks in three months after that on January 2nd -- so it's critically important that we – and the American people – fully understand the consequences of sequestration and take steps to avoid it now.
The sequestration will put at risk all that we've accomplished in education and weaken programs that help children, serve families, send young people and adults to college and make the middle class American dream possible.
Let's begin with education:
Sequestration sends a signal that the United States is backtracking on its commitment to reform and its long-standing promise to promote equity through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
Based on the Congressional Budget Office's projection that sequestration will reduce programs by 7.8 percent, here's what we know will be at risk:
Read Secretary Duncan's full testimony:
Testimony of Secretary Duncan before the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee | U.S. Department of Education
July 25, 2012
Related articles and info.:
...Secretary of Education Arne Duncan testified on Capitol Hill about the impact of budget cuts called sequestration. Sequestration would mandate across-the-board cuts to the federal budget that will go into effect in January if Congress doesn’t act. While a lot of attention has been given to impeding cuts to defense, Secretary Duncan testified about the impact the cuts would on all government services and programs.
“Education, defense, public safety and all other federal agencies would indiscriminately cut services that are essential to every state and community,” Duncan said.
country.
- Title I funding would be cut by $1.1 billion, cutting off funding to more than 4,000 schools serving an estimated 1.8 million disadvantaged students. The jobs of more than 15,000 teachers and aides would be at risk.
- Funding for special education would be reduced by $900 million. That could translate into the layoffs of more than 10,000 teachers, aides, and other staff who provide essential instruction and other support to 6.6 million children with disabilities.
- Up to almost 100,000 low-income children would be denied access to the Head Start program, which is critical to preparing them for success in kindergarten and beyond.
Click here to read Secretary Duncan’s testimony.
Related articles:
The potential cuts to special education "could translate into the layoffs of more than 10,000 teachers, aides, and other staff who provide essential instruction and other support to 6.6 million children with disabilities," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified this week.
By Harkin's estimations, based on a 7.8 percent across-the-board cut, IDEA grants to states would be reduced by $903 million. Another $64 million would be cut out of special education spending for preschool students, infants, and toddlers. Special education research, already cut in recent years, would lose another $4 million, the Council for Exceptional Children says.
Across-the-board federal budget cuts could take a nearly $1 billion bite out of federal special education spending, with the bulk of that representing state grants for the education of school-age children with disabilities.
The automatic cuts, or sequestration, could come in January if Congress doesn't come up with a way to put the country on firmer fiscal footing, as my colleague Alyson Klein explains over at the Politics K-12 blog.
'EnjoyHi5Autism' pinned an excerpt of U.S. Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan's testimony in 'Educating & Learning & Teaching' board on Pinterest.
"The sequestration will put at risk all that we have accomplished in education.I don't think we have a lot of flexibility here," Duncan said of potential cuts. "Regardless of impact,...it's a horrendous way to think of budget choices." U.S.Education Secretary Arnie Duncan U.S.Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and Related Services.
[ Repin (share), like, comment Secretary Duncan's testimony. 'Sequestration & Special Education' original post is available at enjoyhi5autism.bl...
- Title I funding would be cut by $1.1 billion, cutting off funding to more than 4,000 schools serving an estimated 1.8 million disadvantaged students. The jobs of more than 15,000 teachers and teacher aides would be at risk. Students would lose access to individual instruction, afterschool programs, and other interventions that help close achievement gaps.
- Funding for special education would be reduced by $900 million. That could translate into the layoffs of more than 10,000 teachers, aides, and other staff who provide essential instruction and other support to 6.6 million children with disabilities in every one of your states.
- On January 2nd, schools serving our military families through the Impact Aid program would have immediate cuts to their budgets. For example, the Killeen Independent School District in Texas would lose $4.6 million – directly affecting 18,000 children from military families. Military families make so many sacrifices for our country. Their children deserve a world-class education.
- In higher education, the Department would need to slash spending on contracts to support the processing and origination of student loans, which could cause delays that will hurt students as they make decisions about college and could reduce services for borrowers seeking to repay their loans.
- Up to almost 100,000 low-income children would be denied access to the Head Start program, which is critical to preparing them for success in kindergarten and beyond.
- 80,000 children would lose access to high quality care through the Child Care Development Block Grant.
The cuts are expected to begin taking effect in January under a process known as sequestration which was triggered last year when Congress failed to reach a budget deal. Under the plan, education programs as well as most other federal initiatives will be subject to an across-the-board spending reduction of about 8 percent.
Unless Congress acts, special education cuts would impact schools starting in the fall of 2013, Duncan said.
“We all know that there are steps we can take so we don’t have to start down this path that puts so many critical services to students, families and communities at risk,” Duncan told senators. “As everyone knows, sequestration does not have to happen and should not happen.”
If the budget cuts go through as planned, federal spending on special education would fall to 14.5 percent, the lowest rate seen since 2001, according to an estimate from the Council for Exceptional Children, a national group that lobbies on behalf of special educators. (July 26, 2012)
