Federal Updates

• On March 11, the White House rolled out the President’s $4.7 trillion FY20 budget proposal. The proposed budget includes significant cuts to non-defense discretionary funding, including significant decreases in budgets for the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, House and Senate appropriators on Capitol Hill have already indicated that they intend to use many of their FY19 numbers as a starting point for FY20.
• Items from the proposed budget affecting education include:
  • Elimination of the $250 million Preschool Development Grants from the Child Care and Development Block Grant
  • $300 million for education, innovation and research in K-12 schools – an increase of $170 million from FY19.
  • Elimination of the $2.06 billion program, Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A). The proposal includes level funding for Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants at $200 million.
  • $12.6 million increase in national programs funds for career and technical education to support innovation and modernization grants newly authorized under the 2018 reauthorization of the Career and Technical Education Act.
  • In higher education, the proposal outlines a plan to increase postsecondary institution accountability for the repayment of students loans.
  • Expansion of Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in high-quality, short-term programs that lead to a credential, certification or license in a high-demand field.
• On March 18, the White House released additional materials detailing President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2020 budget request, including the appendix, analytical perspectives and a document outlining “Major Savings and Reforms.

Read more on education policy on the McGuireWoods Consulting website.