Poorest Schools Face Deepest Cuts from Sequestration
Without a last-minute deal by lawmakers across-the-board reductions in funding to every federal agency -- known as sequestration -- will happen Friday. While public schools wouldn't see most of the cuts take effect until the new fiscal year on July 1, education officials at the local, state and federal levels are warning of dire consequences for programs and services that assist the most vulnerable students.
Talking with reporters last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan estimated that $725 million in Title I funds, earmarked for schools serving the largest populations of poor students, is on the chopping block. Additionally, states could lose close to $600 million in special education funding. On Face the Nation over the weekend, Duncan said 40,000 teachers could lose their jobs. (The cuts would also be significant at the higher education level, with public colleges and universities losing money in a wide range of areas including financial aid and research.)
Talking with reporters last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan estimated that $725 million in Title I funds, earmarked for schools serving the largest populations of poor students, is on the chopping block. Additionally, states could lose close to $600 million in special education funding. On Face the Nation over the weekend, Duncan said 40,000 teachers could lose their jobs. (The cuts would also be significant at the higher education level, with public colleges and universities losing money in a wide range of areas including financial aid and research.)
Some critics of the nation's public school system contend that there's plenty of money to meet students' needs,