K-12 education programs targeted
Documents list discretionary activities that would be eliminated under current plan
Mental health services. Civics and arts programs. International education and language studies. Antibullying activities. Giftedand-talented initiatives. Full-service community schools.
These are some of the K-12 education programs that President Donald Trump is proposing be eliminated in his first full budget.
According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, the administration wants to make $10.6 billion of cuts in federal education initiatives and reinvest part of the savings into efforts to promote school choice.
Here is a list of some of the discretionary programs targeted for elimination, which the documents say will save $5.9 billion. (Each entry ends with the justifications for the cuts):
21st Century Community Learning Centers, $1.1
billion— Supports before-, after- and summer-school programs that provide safe spaces and opportunities for academic enrichment for nearly 2 million students. (Lacks strong evidence of meeting its objectives, such as improving student achievement.)
Arts in Education, $26.9 million— Supports arts education projects and programs for children and youths, with special emphasis on serving students from low-income families and students with disabilities. (Limited impact; funds activities that are more appropriately supported with other federal, state, local and private funds.)
Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants/ Striving Readers, $189.6
million— Awards competitive grants to states to improve literacy instruction frombirth through grade 12. (Limited impact; duplicates activities that may be supported with other federal, state, local and private funds.)
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, $731.7million— Allocates money to institutions for need-based aid to students. (Duplicates the Pell Grant program.)
Innovative Approaches to Literacy Program, $26.9
million — Makes competitive grants to improve literacy through support of school libraries, professional development for school librarians, and the provision of high-quality books to children and adolescents in low-income communities. (School districts and schools that choose to focus on libraries and the provision of free books as part of their early literacy strategies may use Title I funds for this purpose.)
International Education and Foreign Language Studies Domestic Programs, $65 million — Designed to strengthen the capability and performance of American education in foreign languages and in international studies. (Activities are better advanced by other agencies whose primary mission is national security.
Native Hawaiian Education, $33.3 million — Supports supplemental education services for a highneed student population facing unique challenges in obtaining a high-quality education. (Largely duplicates services thatmay be funded through other federal elementary and secondary programs, as well as state, local and private funds.)
Preschool Development Grants, $249.5 million — Supports the delivery of high-quality preschool services to children and the ex- pansion of high-quality preschool programs in targeted communities thatwould serve as models for expanding preschool to all 4-yearolds from low- and moderate-income families. (Funded at the Department of Health and Human Services in fiscal 2017.)
Ready to gramming, Learn Pro-
$25.7 million — Supports the development and dissemination of highquality educational television programming. (Less relevant and necessary with the rise of the internet.)
Strengthening Institutions, $86.4 million — Provides funds that may be used to support awide variety of institutional support activities, including con- struction, maintenance, renovation and improvement of instructional facilities. (Duplicates activities thatmay be supported with other federal funds.)
Supported Employment State Grants, $27.5 million
— Assists consumers with the most significant disabilities in achieving supported employment. (Supported employment is nowan integral part of the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants program.)
Teacher nerships, Quality Part-
$43 million — Supports professional development activities and training for current and prospective teachers. (Places unnecessary burden on grantee activities.)