U.S. Department of Education: Promoting Educational Excellence for all Americans

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Summary — February 4, 2008

 

Section III.  Programs Proposed for Elimination

Overview

The 2009 request continues the Administration's commitment to eliminate or consolidate funding for programs that have achieved their original purpose, duplicate other programs, are narrowly focused, or unable to demonstrate effectiveness.

The Governmentwide Program Assessment Rating Tool, or PART, helps focus funding on Department of Education programs that generate positive results for students and that meet strong accountability standards. For 2009, 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 programs proposed for elimination or consolidation in the President's 2009 budget request. Termination of these 47 programs frees up almost $3.3 billion—based on 2008 levels—for priority education programs that have a demonstrated record of success or that hold significant promise for increasing accountability and improving student achievement. Following the table is a brief summary of each program and the rationale for its elimination.

Program Eliminations

Program (2008 BA in millions)
   
Academies for American History and Civics $1.9
Advanced Credentialing 9.6
Alaska Native Education Equity 33.3
Alcohol Abuse Reduction 32.4
Arts in Education 37.5
B.J. Stupak Olympic Scholarships 1.0
Byrd Honors Scholarships 40.3
Career and Technical Education National Programs 7.9
Career and Technical Education State Grants 1,160.9
Civic Education 31.9
Close Up Fellowships 1.9
Comprehensive School Reform 1.6
Demonstration Projects for Students with Disabilities 6.8
Education for Native Hawaiians 33.3
Educational Technology State Grants 267.5
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling 48.6
Even Start 66.5
Excellence in Economic Education 1.4
Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners 8.8
Federal Perkins Loans Cancellations 64.3
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants 757.5
Foundations for Learning 1.0
Javits Gifted and Talented Education 7.5
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships 63.9
Mental Health Integration in Schools 4.9
Mentoring 48.5
Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers 2.2
National Writing Project 23.6
Parental Information and Resource Centers 38.9
Physical Education 75.7
Projects With Industry 19.2
Reading is Fundamental 24.6
Ready to Teach 10.7
Recreational Programs 2.5
School Leadership 14.5
Smaller Learning Communities 80.1
Special Olympics Education Program 11.8
State Grants for Incarcerated Youth Offenders 22.4
Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions 11.6
Supported Employment State Grants 29.2
Teacher Quality Enhancement 33.7
Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Baccalaureate/Master's STEM 2.0
Tech-Prep Education State Grants 102.9
Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program 2.9
Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical Institutions 7.5
Underground Railroad Program 1.9
Women's Educational Equity 1.8
   Total
$3,260.4

Program Descriptions
(figures reflect 2008 BA in millions)

Academies for American History and Civics $1.9  

Supports workshops for teachers and students in the areas of history and civics. Eliminating funding for this program is consistent with Administration policy of terminating small categorical programs with limited impact in order to fund higher priorities. Academies for American history and civics can be funded under other authorities, such as the Teaching American History and the Teacher Quality State Grants programs.

Advanced Credentialing $9.6  

Supports the development of advanced credentials based on the content experience of master teachers and related activities to encourage and support teachers seeking advanced credentials. This program is no longer needed because the development and implementation of advanced credentialing systems through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence is complete.

Alaska Native Education Equity $33.3  

Funds supplemental educational programs and services to Alaska Native children. School districts that seek to implement programs and services tailored to the educational and cultural needs of Alaska Native students are able to use funds provided under other Federal programs, such as the Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, Special Education State Grants, and Indian Education programs. In addition, a portion of the grantees receive earmarks not subject to a competitive process or other normal accountability requirements.

Alcohol Abuse Reduction $32.4  

Supports programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools. These programs may be funded through other Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Activities as well as with State and local resources.

Arts in Education $37.5  

Makes non-competitive awards to VSA 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. The Kennedy Center and VSA Arts have a long history of obtaining financial support from the private sector, individual donors, and other non-Federal sources, which can be expected to continue. By increasing their outreach to those sources, the two entities should be able to adjust for the ending of the earmarked Federal support. School districts desiring to implement arts education activities can use funds provided under other programs, such as the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program.

B.J. Stupak Olympic Scholarships $1.0  

Provides financial assistance, through a non-competitive award to the US Olympic Committee, 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. Activities can be funded under other Federal programs.

Byrd Honors Scholarships $40.3  

Promotes academic excellence and achievement by awarding merit-based scholarships to high school students, through formula grants to State educational agencies, who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and who show promise of continued academic excellence. This program duplicates other State, local and private efforts that provide merit-based resources for postsecondary education.

Career and Technical Education National Programs $7.9  

Program activities are mostly focused on supporting activities to help States implement the requirements of the Career and Technical Education State Grant program; no funds are requested for this activity because no funds are being requested for the State Grant program.

Career and Technical Education State Grants $1,160.9  

Provides funds to strengthen career and technical education programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Funds would be redirected to support programs that aim to improve the quality of high school education, particularly for students who are struggling academically and are likely to drop out or to graduate without the education needed to succeed in postsecondary education or the workforce.

Civic Education $31.9  

Provides a single non-competitive award to the Center for Civic Education to conduct We the People, a program to improve the quality of civics and government education. Also makes non-competitive and competitive awards for the Cooperative Education Exchange, a program to improve civic and economic education through exchange programs. The program's contribution to the Department's mission is marginal, and the Administration does not believe that additional funding is necessary for the successful operation of this program.

Close Up Fellowships $1.9  

Provides a non-competitive award to the Close Up Foundation to support fellowships to low-income students and teachers participating in Close Up visits to Washington, DC and other activities. Peer organizations provide scholarships to participants without Federal assistance, and the organization's successful private fundraising indicates that it can continue its activities without a Federal appropriation.

Comprehensive School Reform $1.6  

In 2008, this program is providing funds only for the Comprehensive School Reform Clearinghouse. The authorized program duplicates activities that are carried out under the Title I Grants to LEAs program, and Congress began phasing out the program in fiscal year 2006. The 2009 request would complete the process.

Demonstration Projects to Ensure Quality Higher Education
  for Students with Disabilities
$6.8  

Provides funds for competitive grants for technical assistance and professional development activities for faculty and administrators in institutions of higher education to improve the quality of education for students with disabilities. This program has achieved its primary goal of funding model demonstration projects. Activities can be funded under other Federal programs.

Education for Native Hawaiians $33.3  

Provides grants for supplemental education services and activities for Native Hawaiians. Public and private entities that seek to implement programs and services to meet educational needs of Native Hawaiian students may use or apply for funding under other Federal programs, such as Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, Special Education State Grants, and the TRIO programs. In addition, in recent years a portion of the funding has been earmarked for noncompetitive grants to specific entities.

Educational Technology State Grants $267.5  

Provides funding to States and school districts to support the deployment and integration of educational technology into classroom instruction. Schools today offer a greater level of technology infrastructure than just a few years ago, and there is no longer a significant need for a State formula grant program targeted specifically on (and limited to) the integration of technology into schools and classrooms. Districts seeking funds to integrate technology into teaching and learning can use funds from other Federal programs, such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants and Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies.

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling $48.6  

Provides grants to LEAs to establish or expand elementary school and secondary school counseling programs. School counselors are primarily supported with State and local funds and this Federal program, by making a small number of grants, does little to increase the availability of school counseling services or the quality of those services. Such activities also may be funded under Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Programs as part of a comprehensive, research-based focus on the school environment.

Even Start $66.5  

Supports projects to improve educational opportunities for children and their parents in low-income areas by integrating early childhood education, adult education, and parenting education into "family literacy" programs. However, three separate national evaluations of the program reached the same conclusion: children and adults participating in Even Start generally made no greater literacy gains than non-participants, a finding that contributed to an Ineffective PART rating. Other programs such as Reading First and Early Reading First are better structured to implement proven research and to achieve the Nation's literacy goals. In response to the evaluation findings, the Congress has phased out most funding for this program; the 2009 budget would complete the phase-out.

Excellence in Economic Education $1.4  

Supports a grant to a single national nonprofit educational organization to promote economic and financial literacy for K-12 students. Economic and financial literacy education can be supported under other programs, such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants. In addition, the current grantee receives grants and contributions from private-sector firms and foundations to support its economic education activities. It should be able to continue its activities at the current operating level through an increase in outreach to the private sector.

Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners $8.8  

Supports culturally based educational activities, internships, apprenticeship programs and exchanges for Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, children and families of Massachusetts, and any federally recognized Indian tribe in Mississippi. All of the funding provided for the program is for statutory earmarks, and the Administration has consistently opposed the funding of earmarks because they support activities that have not gone through the rigor of a competitive process and have negligible accountability for results. Other Federal and non-Federal sources are available to support the activities carried out under this program.

Federal Perkins Loans Cancellations $64.3  

Reimburses institutional revolving funds for borrowers whose loan repayments are canceled in exchange for undertaking public service employment, such as teaching in Head Start programs, full-time law enforcement, or nursing. These reimbursements are no longer needed as the Administration will work with Congress to phase out the Perkins Loan program, which is inefficient and duplicative of other, larger, Federal student loan programs.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants $757.5  

Program provides need-based grant aid to eligible undergraduate students to help reduce financial barriers to postsecondary education. Federal funding allocations are awarded to qualifying postsecondary institutions under an outdated statutory formula, and individual SEOG awards are not optimally allocated based on a student's financial need.

Foundations for Learning $1.0  

Funds services to children and their families to enhance young children's development and school readiness. The request includes funding for other, larger programs that support early childhood education and development, such as Early Reading First, Special Education Preschool Grants, and Special Education Grants for Infants and Families.

Javits Gifted and Talented Education $7.5  

Supports research, demonstration projects, and other activities designed to help elementary and secondary schools meet the needs of gifted and talented students. Most gifted and talented education programs in the U.S. are implemented without Federal support, and the program, by making a handful of grants each year, does little to increase the availability of gifted and talented programs in schools, increase the quality of those programs, or advance the field of gifted and talented education nationally.

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships $63.9  

Has accomplished its objective of stimulating all States to establish need-based postsecondary student grant programs. State grant levels have expanded greatly over the years, and most States significantly exceed the statutory matching requirements. State matching funds in academic year 2006-07, for example, totaled nearly $1 billion, or more than $950 million over the level generated by a dollar-for-dollar match.

Mental Health Integration in Schools $4.9  

Makes competitive grants to increase student access to mental health care by linking school systems with the mental health system. School districts may use funds from other Federal programs to support mental health services. For example, the 2009 request includes $77.8 million for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative that the Department of Education (under Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Activities) funds jointly with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the Department of Health and Human Services. Each Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant must support school and community mental health preventive and treatment services as part of a comprehensive approach to healthy childhood development.

Mentoring Program $48.5  

Makes grants to LEAs and nonprofit community-based organizations to establish and support mentoring programs and activities for children who are at risk of educational failure. In 2005, the Department began a 4-year evaluation to assess the impact of school-based mentoring programs supported with Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Activities funds. The evaluation will be completed in 2008. The program has accomplished its mission.

Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers $2.2  

This program makes competitive awards to support rehabilitation services to migratory workers with disabilities, duplicating activities that may be funded through the VR State Grants program.

National Writing Project $23.6  

Supports a non-competitive grant to a nationwide, nonprofit educational organization that promotes the effective teaching of writing in grades K-16. States may support such activities through flexible programs like Improving Teacher Quality State Grants. In addition, the Administration does not believe that making awards to designated grantees without the benefit of competition is the best way of ensuring that public funds are used effectively.

Parental Information and Resource Centers $38.9  

Provides training, information, and support to SEAs, LEAs, and other organizations that carry out parent education and family involvement activities. Parent education and family involvement activities are required and funded under other ESEA programs, such as Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies. In addition, all States now have access to a comprehensive technical assistance system that includes assistance in the areas addressed by PIRCs.

Physical Education Program $75.7  

Provides grants to local educational agencies and community-based organizations to pay for the Federal share of the costs of initiating, expanding, and improving physical education programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. However, there is no evidence that the program is making a difference in terms of youth physical activity, reduction in obesity, or other desired outcomes.

Projects With Industry $19.2  

PWI administers a grant competition for projects to help individuals with disabilities obtain employment in the competitive labor market. This program is duplicative of the much larger VR State Grants program, which is authorized to provide the same services to the same target population.

Reading is Fundamental $24.6  

Supports an annual award to Reading is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) to provide aid to local nonprofit groups and volunteer organizations that serve low-income children through book distribution and reading motivation activities. Though the Administration supports the goals of the program, RIF receives substantial private donations that can support the program if Federal funds are discontinued. In addition, the Administration is opposed to programs that provide noncompetitive, earmarked support to designated entities.

Ready to Teach $10.7  

Makes competitive awards to nonprofit telecommunications entities for programs to improve teaching in core curriculum areas, and to develop, produce, and distribute innovative educational and instructional video programming. The $2.8 billion Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program provides sufficient resources for such activities.

Recreational Programs $2.5  

Supports competitively awarded 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.

School Leadership $14.5  

Provides grants to assist high-need LEAs in the recruitment, training, and retention of principals and assistant principals. These activities are specifically authorized under other Federal programs, such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants.

Smaller Learning Communities $80.1  

Provides competitive awards to LEAs to support the creation of smaller, more personalized learning environments in large high schools. The relatively low demand for smaller learning communities, the effectiveness of which has not been proven through research, has been met both by funding in earlier years and through private efforts. The Administration is addressing the need for high school reform through its 2009 requests for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, Striving Readers, the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate program, and Academic Competitiveness Grants. Also, schools identified for improvement under Title I may use Title I school improvement funds to create smaller learning communities as part of an overall school improvement plan.

Special Olympics Education Program $11.8  

Supports activities to promote the expansion of Special Olympics, and the design and implementation of Special Olympics education programs. Many of the activities are not directly supportive of the Department of Education's mission and strategic education goals. Eliminating funding for this program is also consistent with the Administration's policy of increasing resources for higher priority programs and eliminating small categorical programs that have limited impact. In addition, the Administration does not believe that making awards to designated grantees without the benefit of competition is the best way of ensuring that public funds are used effectively.

State Grants for Incarcerated Youth Offenders $22.4  

Provides formula grants to State correctional agencies to assist and encourage incarcerated youth in acquiring functional literacy skills and life and job skills. State appropriations and prisoner self-funding can support these activities in the absence of Federal funds. In addition, the 2009 budget request includes funding for the Department of Labor's Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (REO) program, which can serve many of the needs of this population. For juvenile offenders, REO provides a greater focus on building basic literacy and numeracy skills and the completion of secondary education through alternative education pathways, leading to career opportunities through postsecondary credentialing programs or pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions $11.8  

Helps Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions improve their capacity to serve Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students, activities may be carried out under the HEA Title III Strengthening Institutions program. Furthermore, $15 million in mandatory funding is provided under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.

Supported Employment State Grants $29.2  

This formula grant 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. Supported employment services are also provided by the VR State Grants program.

Teacher Quality Enhancement $33.7  

This program provides competitive grants to States and partnerships to improve recruitment, preparation, licensure, and support for teachers by providing incentives, encouraging reforms, and leveraging local and State resources to ensure that current and future teachers have the necessary teaching skills and academic content knowledge to teach effectively. All of these activities can be carried out under other existing Federal programs.

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Baccalaureate and Master's STEM and Foreign Language Teacher Training $2.0  

Provides competitive grants to enable partnerships to develop and implement programs that provide courses of study in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign languages that are integrated with teacher education and would lead to a baccalaureate degree in the primary subject matter with a concurrent teacher certification. Similar grants support 2- or 3-year part-time master's degree programs for teachers to enhance the teacher's content knowledge and teaching skills in the same fields; or programs for professionals in those fields that lead to a 1-year master's degree in teaching that results in teacher certification. Activities can be funded under other Federal programs.

Tech-Prep Education State Grants $102.9  

Grants to States support local programs that develop a structural link between secondary and postsecondary institutions that integrates academic and career and technical education and prepares students to make the transition from high school to college and from college to careers. Funds would be redirected to activities focused on strengthening high school education in general, rather than supporting this lower-priority, narrowly focused program.

Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program $2.9  

Supports a non-competitive award to provide minority, low-income or disadvantaged college students with the information, preparation, and financial assistance needed to gain access to and complete law school study. Disadvantaged individuals can receive assistance through the Department's student financial assistance programs.

Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical Institutions $7.5  

Provides grants to tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institutions to provide career and technical education to Indian students. The statue effectively earmarks funds to the same institutions each year. Program recipients are eligible for competitive grants under other Federal programs, including mandatory funding provided for the Strengthening Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities program under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.

Underground Railroad Program $1.9  

Provides competitive 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.

Women's Educational Equity $1.9  

Promotes educational equity for girls and women. There is no longer a need for a program focused on eliminating the educational gap for girls and women, as women have made educational gains that match or exceed those of their male peers.

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This page last modified—February 4, 2008 (mjj).