The House Appropriations Committee approved a $67.9 billion discretionary budget for the U.S. Department of Education for fiscal year 2025, marking an 11% overall cut from the previous year’s spending. The bill includes a 25% reduction in Title I funding, totaling a $4.7 billion cut, which Democrats argue will result in 72,000 fewer teaching positions. [Politico Pro, subscription model]
Go deeper: House Republicans are pushing for significant reductions, including the elimination of 17 education programs such as English language learning, teacher training under Title II-A, and childcare on college campuses. These cuts, they argue, are necessary due to lagging test scores despite substantial federal pandemic aid. [K-12 Dive]
- Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) emphasized that the Department of Education should focus more on core academic subjects like math and science rather than social issues.
However, the bill isn’t all cuts. It proposes increased funding for charter schools and early education programs like Head Start. It also maintains the maximum Pell grant award at $7,395.
Democratic pushback: Democrats on the panel proposed numerous amendments to address civil rights spending and low-income school funding, but all were rejected. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) condemned the cuts as harmful to the nation’s most vulnerable students.
Controversial riders: The bill also includes measures to block the enforcement of Title IX regulations and Biden’s new income-driven repayment plan, known as SAVE. Additionally, it prohibits federal funds for schools that allow transgender students to participate in women’s and girls’ sports, sparking further controversy.
What’s next: The bill is expected to reach the House floor by the end of July. Senate appropriators will start marking up their own spending bills this week, with the education bill expected later this month.
