AACTE Expresses Support for President Biden’s Budget
AACTE expressed its support for President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget, which calls for strong investments in education that will help address the critical shortage of educators in our nation’s schools as well as help millions of students achieve their academic dreams.
The nation faces an unprecedented challenge hiring and retaining well-qualified and diverse educators to lead our classrooms. This shortage has been exacerbated by the pandemic, stagnant wages, and difficult work environments. The president’s budget proposal seeks to address many of these challenges. AACTE urges Congress to fund these priorities at the highest possible levels.
President Biden calls for funding the Department of Education at $90 billion, more than $10 billion above the 2023 net enacted level. Specifically, the president calls for the following:
- $132 million for the Teacher Quality Partnership program (an increase of $62 million) to strengthen and promote innovative educator preparation programs at institutions of higher education
- $30 million for the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program (an increase of $15 million) to increase the number of well-prepared teachers graduating from minority-serving institutions
- $93 million for Supporting Effective Education Development (an increase of $13 million) to implement evidence-based practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators
- $200 million (an increase of $27 million) for the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Fund
- $304 million to train and retain special education teachers, related service providers, and early intervention personnel
- $178 million to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (a 27 percent increase) to ensure that students of all backgrounds have access to a safe learning environment
- $73 million to support American history and civics education programs, and
- Increasing the maximum Pell Grant by $820.
The president also calls for $335 million (a $50 million increase) to expand the Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship program to expand opportunities in high-growth fields, including education, while increasing the number of workers from historically underrepresented groups, including people of color and women, who participate in Registered Apprenticeships.
AACTE looks forward to working with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to fund these priorities, address the teacher shortage, and diversify the profession.
Tags: federal issues, funding, shortage, teacher quality
