Administration Unveils FY2006 Budget
The Administration released its proposed spending plan for FY2006 programs to Congress on February 7, and although the Administration is seeking additional funding for the Math and Science Partnerships at the U. S. Department of Education, many K-12 math and science education programs at NSF saw steep cuts.
National Science Foundation: The President requested a cut of 12.4 percent for programs under the Education and Human Resources directorate ($737 million for FY2006, down from $841 million in FY2005, a decrease of $104 million). Funding for programs under the Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE) was reduced by 22.6 percent ($140 million for FY2006, down from $181 million in FY2005), and the Research, Evaluation, and Communication (REC) budget was cut by more than 43 percent ($33 million, down from $59 million in FY2005). The funding request for the FY2006 NSF Math and Science Partnerships (MSPs) was $60 million, a 24 percent cut. For more information on the NSF budget, go to http://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2006.
Department of Education: Total funding for the Department of Education for FY2006 is $56 billion, a one percent increase over FY2005. The funding request for the FY 2006 MSP program at the Department of Education is $269 million, a $90 million increase over FY2005 funding. However the Administration wants $120 million of these funds to stay at the U. S. Department of Education for competitive grants solely to math initiatives at the secondary level as part of the new High School Initiative. Currently all the funds under the ED MSP program go to the states for competitive grants to local science and math initiatives.
Vocational education programs, including the Tech Prep Education state grants, and other programs including Upward Bound, Talent Search, GEAR UP, and Smaller Learning Communities have been eliminated and the funding is being shifted to create a new $1.3 billion High School Initiative which includes incorporating No Child Left Behind (NCLB) testing in grades 9–11 in language arts and math.
Improving Teacher Quality State Grants (Title II A) were level-funded
at $2.9 billion, and the President is seeking $12 million to help states establish
State Scholars programs that encourage students to complete a rigorous curriculum
that includes at least three years of math and science.
Teacher quality enhancement grants under the Higher Education Act (HEA Title
II) were eliminated.
Education Technology State Grants (Title II D) and the National Writing Project were also eliminated in the budget proposal; in FY2005 states received $496 million for the state Ed Tech grants initiative. Proposed funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities program was reduced by almost half (state grants were eliminated). The Reading First State Grants saw a small increase, as did Title I and IDEA programs. For more information on the Department of Education FY2006 budget go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/education.html.
In related budget and appropriations news, House leaders have announced they have reorganized 13 of the current Appropriations subcommittees down to 10 subcommittees. Although the appropriations subcommittee with oversight of the U.S. Department of Education—the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education chaired by Rep. Ralph Regula—remains intact, the appropriations subcommittee responsible for NSF appropriations (VA/HUD and Independent Agencies) has been eliminated. Appropriations for the NSF (and NASA and OSTP) will now be under the jurisdiction of the Science, State, Justice and Commerce subcommittee, chaired by Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA).
House STEM Education Caucus Hosts Dr. M.R.C. Greenwood at Hill Event
On February 9, the House Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Caucus welcomed Dr. M.R.C. Greenwood, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs for the University of California, as keynote speaker during a special luncheon hosted by The Business Roundtable.
During the luncheon, Dr. Greenwood, a scientist, former biology professor, and an outspoken advocate of STEM education, told members of Congress, staffers, and invited guests “I want to urge you today to begin action on a bold, national initiative to restore our nation’s educational, scientific, and technological infrastructure. It is time for a new National Defense Education Act, the likes of which we haven’t seen since 1958, to advance education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and other fields of national interest.” If you are interested in a copy of Dr. Greenwood’s address, e-mail Jodi Peterson at jpeterson@nsta.org.