Archived Information
Section III. PROGRAMS PROPOSED FOR ELIMINATION
 Overview
The 2004 request continues the practice of the Bush Administration—also consistent with previous administrations over the past two decades—of proposing to eliminate or consolidate funding for programs that are have achieved their original purpose, that duplicate other programs, that may be carried out with flexible State formula grant funds, or that involve activities that are better or more appropriately supported through State, local, or private resources. In addition, the government-wide Program Assessment Rating Tool, or PART, helps target funding to Department of Education programs that generate positive results for students and that meet strong accountability standards. For 2004, PART findings were used to redirect funds from ineffective programs to more effective activities, as well as to identify reforms to help address program weaknesses.
The following table shows the combined total of programs proposed for elimination in the President's 2003 and 2004 budget requests. Termination of these 45 programs frees up more than $1.5 billion—based on amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2002—for reallocation to more effective, higher priority activities. Following the table is a brief summary of each program and the rationale for its elimination.
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Program Descriptions
(figures reflect 2002 B.A. in millions)
| Adult Education National Leadership Activities |
$9.5 |
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These activities, including evaluation, dissemination and technical assistance, will be addressed as part of the Administration's reauthorization strategy for adult basic and literacy education.
| Advanced Credentialing |
$10.0 |
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Supports teachers seeking advanced certification or advanced credentialing, activities that receive ample funding through larger, more flexible programs such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants.
| Alcohol Abuse Reduction |
$25.0 |
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Supports innovative and effective programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools that may be funded through flexible Safe and Drug-Free Schools State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.
Makes non-competitive awards to Very Special Arts and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as competitive awards for national demonstrations and Federal leadership activities to encourage the integration of the arts into the school curriculum. Consistent with Administration policy of terminating small categorical programs with limited impact in order to fund higher priorities.
| B.J. Stupak Olympic Scholarships |
$1.0 |
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Provides financial assistance to athletes who are training at the United States Olympic Education Center or one of the United States Olympic Training centers and who are pursuing a postsecondary education. Athletes can receive grant, work-study, and loan assistance through the Department's postsecondary student aid programs.
| Close Up Fellowships |
$1.5 |
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Non-competitive award to Close Up Foundation supports fellowships to low-income students and teachers participating in Close Up visits to Washington, DC and other activities. Peer organizations provide scholarships to some of their participants without Federal assistance
| Community Technology Centers |
$32.5 |
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Supports centers that offer disadvantaged residents of economically distressed areas access to computers and training. Program has limited impact and funding for similar activities is available through other Federal agencies.
| Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers |
$28.0 |
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Supports 15 university-based or nonprofit centers that offer technical assistance to States, school districts, and schools. The NCLB Act provides flexible funding to pay for such assistance.
| Comprehensive School Reform |
$235.0 |
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This program largely duplicates activities that are readily carried out under the Title I Grants to LEAs program. For example, the NCLB Act lowered the poverty threshold for Title I schoolwide projects to 40 percent, thus permitting some 5,000 additional schools to use Title I funds to carry out the types of whole-school reforms supported by the CSR program. More than 26,000 Title I schools already operate schoolwide projects and thus enjoy the opportunity to conduct comprehensive reform efforts. In addition, comprehensive reform is encouraged as part of school improvement efforts undertaken by Title I schools not making adequate yearly progress toward State standards for at least 2 consecutive years.
Demonstration Projects to Ensure Quality Higher Education
for Students with Disabilities |
$7.0 |
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Funds technical assistance and professional development activities for faculty and administrators in institutions of higher education in order to improve the quality of education for students with disabilities. Such activities can be funded under FIPSE and the Research and Innovation program in the Special Education account.
| Dropout Prevention Programs |
$10.0 |
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Significantly higher funding for dropout prevention and re-entry programs available through Title I Grants to LEAs, Title I Migrant State Grants, and State Grants for Innovative Programs Competitive makes this program unnecessary.
| Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Math and Science Education |
$5.0 |
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Clearinghouse of K-12 mathematics and science resources is no longer needed now that the What Works Clearinghouse will provide such information for all grades and subject areas.
| Eisenhower Regional Math and Science Education Consortia |
$15.0 |
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Disseminates exemplary mathematics and science education instructional materials and provides technical assistance in the use of improved teaching methods and assessment for use in grades K-12. The NCLB Act provides flexible funding to States, districts, and schools to pay for such assistance.
| Elementary and Secondary School Counseling |
$32.5 |
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Program of grants to support elementary school and secondary school counseling programs has limited impact and may be funded through other larger and more flexible Federal programs, such as ESEA Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.
| Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners |
$5.0 |
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Supports culturally based educational activities, internships, apprenticeship programs and exchanges for Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and children and families of Massachusetts. Consistent with Administration policy of terminating small categorical programs with limited impact in order to fund higher priorities.
| Federal Perkins Loans: Capital Contributions |
$100.0 |
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Institutional revolving funds totaling $7 billion will continue to support more than $1 billion in new Perkins Loans each year without additional capital contributions. In addition, affordable postsecondary student loan assistance is readily available through the Federal Family Education Loan and Ford Direct Student Loan programs.
| Foreign Language Assistance |
$14.0 |
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Activities to promote improvement and expansion of foreign language instruction may be supported by larger, more flexible ESEA programs, such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.
| Javits Gifted and Talented Education |
$11.3 |
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Activities to help schools to meet the special educational needs of gifted and talented students may be supported through other larger and more flexible Federal programs, such as Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.
| Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships |
$67.0 |
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Program has accomplished its objective of stimulating all States to establish need-based postsecondary student grant programs, and Federal incentives for such aid are no longer required. State grant levels have expanded greatly over the years, and most States significantly exceed the statutory matching requirements. State matching funds in academic year 1999-2000, for example, totaled nearly $1 billion or more than $950 million over the level generated by a dollar-for-dollar match.
| Literacy Programs for Prisoners |
$5.0 |
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Competitive grants to State and local correctional agencies and correctional education agencies support programs that reduce recidivism through the improvement of "life skills."Request is consistent with the Administration's effort to eliminate small programs that have only indirect or limited effect on improving student outcomes.
| Loan Forgiveness for Child Care Providers |
$1.0 |
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This demonstration program encourages qualified child care providers to work in low-income communities by forgiving a portion of their FFEL or Direct Loan obligation. The program is too small to have a significant impact and is administratively burdensome.
| Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers |
$2.4 |
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Supports rehabilitation services to migratory workers with disabilities, but such activities may be funded through the VR State Grants program.
| National Writing Project |
$14.0 |
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Supports a nationwide nonprofit educational organization that promotes K-16 teacher training programs in the effective teaching of writing. States may support such activities through flexible programs like Improving Teacher Quality State Grants.
| Occupational and Employment Information |
$9.5 |
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Support for State career guidance and academic counseling programs for youth and adults will be addressed as part of the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.
| Parental Assistance Information Centers |
$40.0 |
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Parent education and family involvement programs are required and funded under other ESEA programs, such as Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, and are a specifically authorized use of funds under ESEA Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.
| Physical Education Program |
$50.0 |
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Grants are used primarily to purchase equipment for physical education programs--an activity more appropriately funded through State, local, or private resources.
| Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology |
$62.5 |
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State and local entities may use Educational Technology State Grants and Improving Teacher Quality State Grants to carry out activities supported under this program, which prepares prospective teachers to use technology to improve student achievement and instructional programs.
| Projects With Industry |
$22.1 |
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PWI projects help individuals with disabilities obtain employment and advance their careers in the competitive labor market. VR State Grants serves the same target populations and may be used to support PWI projects.
This program supports competitive grants to nonprofit telecommunications entities to carry out programs to improve teaching in core curriculum areas, and to develop, produce, and distribute innovative educational and instructional video programming. Educational Technology State grants and Improving Teacher Quality State grants provide ample resources for the types of activities supported by this program.
| Recreational Programs |
$2.6 |
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Supports projects that provide recreation and related activities for individuals with disabilities to aid in their employment, mobility, independence, socialization, and community integration. The program has limited impact, and such activities are more appropriately financed by State and local agencies and the private sector.
| Regional Educational Laboratories |
$67.5 |
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Recent reauthorization did not make needed improvement in structure and function of the Regional Educational Laboratories, which have not consistently provided high quality research and development products or evidence-based training and technical assistance.
| Regional Technology in Education Consortia |
$10.0 |
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Supports technical assistance and professional development in the effective use of educational technology; States, districts, and schools can purchase such technical assistance through flexible funding sources authorized by the NCLB Act, such as the ESEA Title I Grants to LEAs program.
Larger State formula grant programs provide ample resources for a wide range of activities designed to improve student achievement in rural areas. In addition, rural school districts may take advantage of new ESEA flexibility provisions to combine funding received from various State formula grant programs and use the consolidated funds for virtually any ESEA-authorized purpose.
Program supports recruiting, training, and retaining principals and assistant principals--activities that are specifically authorized under other, much larger programs such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.
| Smaller Learning Communities |
$142.2 |
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The creation or expansion of smaller learning communities in large high schools may be supported by Title I Grants to LEAs and State Grants for Innovative Programs--the latter of which specifically authorizes the creation of smaller learning communities.
Programs like Educational Technology State grants and Improving Teacher Quality State grants provide ample resources for the distance education projects supported by Star Schools.
| State Grants for Community Service for Expelled or Suspended Students |
$50.0 |
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Community service programs for expelled or suspended from school may be supported through other, larger ESEA programs such as Safe and Drug-Free Schools State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.
| State Grants for Incarcerated Youth Offenders |
$17.0 |
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Formula grants to State correctional agencies assist and encourage incarcerated youth to acquire functional literacy skills and life and job skills. Request is consistent with the Administration's effort to eliminate small programs that have only indirect or limited effect on improving student outcomes.
| Supported Employment State Grants |
$38.2 |
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Program has accomplished its goal of developing collaborative programs with appropriate public and private nonprofit organizations to provide supported employment services for individuals with the most significant disabilities. Similar activities may be supported with VR State Grants.
| Tech-Prep Demonstration |
$5.0 |
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A demonstration program to support consortia that establish secondary technical education program on community college campuses would no longer be necessary under the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.
| Tech-Prep Education State Grants |
$108.0 |
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A State grant program to support State efforts to develop structural links between secondary and postsecondary institutions that integrate academic and vocational education would no longer be necessary under the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.
| Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program |
$4.0 |
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This program, which provides minority, low-income, or disadvantaged college students with the information, preparation, and financial assistance needed to gain access to and complete law school, largely duplicates assistance available through the Department's postsecondary student financial aid programs.
| Underground Railroad Program |
$2.0 |
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Provides grants to non-profit educational organizations to establish facilities that house, display, and interpret artifacts relating to the history of the Underground Railroad, as well as to make the interpretive efforts available to institutions of higher education. The program has largely achieved its original purpose.
| Vocational Education National Programs |
$12.0 |
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These activities, including assessment, evaluation, dissemination, and technical assistances, will be addressed as part of the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.
| Women's Educational Equity |
$3.0 |
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Activities promoting educational equity for girls and women may be supported through larger, more flexible programs like ESEA Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.
Institute of Education Sciences   Departmental Management
For further information contact the ED Budget Service.
This page last modified—September 15, 2006 (jer).
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