Massive Resistance Works: Join the NPE Protest Against Budget Cuts and Privatization

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1. GregB says:

   March 17, 2017 at 11:09 am

   Diane, I just read the link and, as I read it, there is a huge error. According to the budget blueprint, $1.4 billion is a requested increase to bring the total to $20 billion for “investments in public and private school choice.” The NPE message, as I read it, focuses on $1.4 billion as the total amount, not an increase to reach $20 billion—from which they hope to leverage an additional $100 billion in state and local funds.

   Here’s the language in the blueprint: “Increases investments in public and private school choice by $1.4 billion compared to the 2017 annualized CR level, ramping up to an annual total of $20 billion, and an estimated $100 billion including matching State and local funds. This additional investment in 2018 includes a $168 million increase for charter schools, $250 million for a new private school choice program, and a $1 billion increase for Title I, dedicated to encouraging districts to adopt a system of student- based budgeting and open enrollment that enables Federal, State, and local funding to follow the student to the public school of his or her choice.”

   Please let me know if I am misreading this. If not, please let NPE know that they need to amend their message.

   Reply
   • dianeravitch says:

     March 17, 2017 at 12:24 pm

     Thanks, Greg.

     I will check it out.

     Reply
2. leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) says:

   March 17, 2017 at 1:18 pm

   I think the large amounts cited above aspirational and not actually in the proposed budget. It is even unclear at this point how the Title I portability of $1B would actually work. See the blueprint here:

   Click to access 2018_blueprint.pdf

   The biggest proposed Trump cut to education is the total elimination of Title IIA funds at about $2.4 billion — which could have a devastating effect. A significant share is used to keep teachers on staff — since the recession we’ve lost 221,000 school staff while the number of students increased by 1,120,000..

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   • Laura H. Chapman says:

     March 17, 2017 at 2:29 pm

     “A significant share is used to keep teachers on staff”
     I am not understanding which sections of Title II funds could pay for hiring teachers. That seems to be a long reach for federal dollars. A lot of Title II is about opening alternative routes to certification. Is that what you mean?

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