Join CEC and take action now on the follow issues affecting students needing special education services.
Reauthorize the Higher Education Act
Address the educator shortage crisis
The U.S. Senate is currently negotiating a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). HEA governs federal policy on higher education. Major provisions of HEA include grant and loan programs such as Pell and TEACH Grants; grants to institutions for educator preparation programs; access and affordability of higher education, such as the TRIO and GEAR UP programs, and more. These programs influence the educator pipeline and directly impact schools and classrooms. HEA was last reauthorized in 2008 and is the top education priority for Congress this year.
FY 2021: Support Students with Exceptionalities; Oppose Cuts to Public Education.
Boost funding for special and gifted/talented education to make sure all students can thrive.
On Monday, the Trump Administration released its proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 spending. Overall, the budget proposal cuts the Department of Education (ED) by $6.4 billion, or 8.4 percent. The budget also includes $5 billion for proposed Education Freedom Scholarships, or tax credits for vouchers that could be used toward private school tuition.
Special education funding was largely untouched in the ED budget. Aside from a $100 million increase (equal to less than one percent) to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all programs authorized under the IDEA were level funded. With diminishing spending power from year to year, level funding equates to a cut roughly equal in size to the inflation rate.
In the last three years, attempts by the Administration to make significant cuts to ED and to divert public funds to a private school voucher program have been unsuccessful. Rather, Congress, which has the ‘power of the purse,’ has sustained and/or incrementally grown critical programs at the Department. Much of the credit for Congress’s actions goes to grassroots advocacy. Voices like yours have made an important difference as appropriators make decisions about annual spending. Please join CEC in supporting public education through this letter-writing campaign.
For more information on how to take action and to sign up for CEC’s legislative alerts, visit CEC’s Legislative Action Center (LAC) website.