President Trump Releases Detailed FY18 Budget Request
On May 23, President Trump issued his detailed Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) budget request, fleshing out the “skinny budget” blueprint released in March. The plan cuts education programs considerably overall while carving out space and funds for new programs focusing on choice opportunities. (See the related statement issued by AACTE President/CEO Sharon P. Robinson.)
A press release from the U.S. Department of Education outlines the budget’s education initiatives in five priority areas:
- Creating new education options through school choice
- Maintaining support for the nation’s most vulnerable students
- Simplifying funding for postsecondary education
- Building evidence around education innovation
- Streamlining existing programs
The budget request eliminates 22 education programs in all, for an annual savings of $5.8 billion – but many of the programs have strong support on Capitol Hill. Remember that this request from the president to the Congress is only the first step in determining federal funding; Congress then decides whether and how to honor various aspects of the request through the appropriations process.
Here is the president’s recommendation for selected programs that support the educator preparation profession (note that the figures are based on the continuing resolution for FY17 spending passed earlier in the year, rather than on the enacted omnibus spending bill, leading to some discrepancies in the actual numbers):
Program |
Proposed Change, FY17 to FY18 |
ESSA Title II-A State Grants |
Eliminated |
Teacher Quality Partnership Grants |
Eliminated |
School Leader Recruitment and Support |
Eliminated |
Perkins Loans |
Eliminated |
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program |
Eliminated effective 7/18 |
Federal Work-Study |
Cut by $489.7 million |
Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED—currently accepting applications!) |
Cut by $58.1 million |
Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants |
Cut by $30 million |
TEACH grants |
Flat funded (in essence; the accounting is complicated) |
Pell Grants |
Flat funded (in essence; rescinds Pell surplus) |
Institute for Education Sciences |
Flat funded |
Rural Education Achievement Program |
Flat funded |
Special Education Personnel Preparation |
Flat funded |
For further detail, see these links from the Office of Management and Budget:
- FY18 Budget Request main page
- FY18 Budget Request – by agency
- U.S. Department of Education FY18 Budget Request (PDF)
And here are useful links from the U.S. Department of Education:
- FY18 Budget Request main page
- Fact Sheet
- Summary and Background Information
- Budget Justifications for U.S. Congress (recommended resource with detailed information, data, and rationales)
As Congress responds through the appropriations process, AACTE will be engaging with membership through our Action Alerts and at Day on the Hill next month (you can still register!) to support you in advocacy with your elected officials.
Please contact me with any questions at dkoolbeck@aacte.org.
Tags: federal issues, funding
