Washington, DC, September 15, 2004 - As the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee begins considering the FY05 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill, a unique coalition of educators and school administrators from across the country is calling on senators to protect funding for the Title V, Part A, Innovative Education program, a key program authorized in the No Child Left Behind Act.
The coalition includes Agudath Israel of America, American Association of School Administrators, American Counseling Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, National Catholic Educational Association, National Education Knowledge Industry Association, National School Boards Association, School Business Officials International, and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The group recently sent a letter to U.S. Senator Arlen Spector (R-PA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, seeking continued funding for the program of at least $296 million, the amount of funding it received last year.
Title V, Part A, provides a unique source of flexible funds that allows public and private school systems to meet both local and federal priorities. While the amount of funding is relatively small, $296 million in FY04, the funding is important and the flexibility is key - allowing schools to engage in reforms and improvements that might not otherwise be funded and can make a significant impact on student achievement. The program has previously funded targeted intervention strategies for low performing students, technology upgrades for rural areas, curriculum development, library materials, and statewide staff development.
The House FY05 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Bill, passed last week, would reduce funding for Title V from $296 million to $20 million, and the current Senate Appropriations Bill threatens to provide no funding for the program.
In its letter to Senator Specter, the coalition wrote, "With 15,000 school districts and 27,000 private and religious schools in this country, there is no one-size-fits-all approach that meets the needs of all schools. Title V fills that gap by enabling local innovation and customization to maximize each school's ability to deliver the best educational opportunities for all students." A copy of the letter is available at www.ccsso.org.
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.
