Policy Updates February 2011

Two Week Continuing Resolution Proposed, Includes $4 Billion in Cuts

 

Late last Friday the House Appropriations Committee released a short term Continuing Resolution (CR) to provide funds to keep the government operating over the next two weeks until a compromise can be reached on a year-long funding bill. If passed this week, the CR, which includes $4 billion in spending reductions, will prevent a government-wide shut down that would occur on March 4th – if no agreement between the House, Senate and White House is reached on a longer-term funding bill. The CR contains funding to allow all government agencies and programs to continue operating at the current level of spending for the next two weeks, until March 18, 2011, except for several programs that will be terminated or cut. Among the proposed cuts in the two week CR is $1 million from the Child Care Development Block Grant's Child Care Aware toll-free hotline. Details of the CR and the complete list of proposed cuts can be found here. The Senate leadership has indicated that they may support the two week CR. 
 

 

 

FY 2011 Continuing Resolution and Appropriations Update

 

Both the House and Senate are expected back from recess on February 28, 2011, giving them just five days until the FY 2011 Continuing Resolution expires on March 4, 2011. There has been no shortage of speculation in the media as to whether a compromise spending bill can be reached before March 4, or whether the government will shutdown in absence of a new Continuing Resolution. The only spending bill that has passed to date includes over $60 billion in spending cuts, including the following that will impact federal support of afterschool programs:

 

·         The 21^st Century Community Learning Center initiative would be cut by $100 million. Over the course of a year a $100 million cut would result in 100,000 fewer children being provided with needed programs (this table shows the impact of such a cut at the state level.) The cut also means a loss of about 10,000 jobs. More.

·         The Corporation for National and Community Service would be eliminated. This would result in an immediate end to the AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA, Retired Senior Volunteer Corps, and Learn and Serve America programs. It is estimated that currently about 27,000 AmeriCorps and VISTA participants assist afterschool programs. More.   

·         The Child Care Development Block Grant would be cut by $39 million. A portion of those funds support care for children ages 12 and under. More. 

·         Juvenile Justice would be cut by $191 million, including the possibility of cutting funding for prevention of youth violence through mentoring and afterschool arts programs. More.   

 

An updated table showing figures for all proposed cuts to the Department of Education is now available on the Department's website here.

 

Friends of afterschool programs can continue to reach out to Congress urging support for afterschool programs.

 

February 19, 2011

 

Continuing Resolution Passes the House

 

Early this morning, the House of Representatives passed HR 1, a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government from March 4, 2011, through September 30, 2011, the end of the current fiscal year. HR 1 cuts more than $100 billion in federal spending compared to the President's fiscal year 2011 budget request. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21stCCLC) initiative is cut by $100 million. Over the course of a year a $100 million cut would result in over 100,000 fewer children being provided needed programs, as well as thousands of lost jobs. This table shows the impact of such a cut at the state level. Among the amendments that passed were those that cut the National Endowments for the Arts (which funds afterschool arts programs) as well as one that includes a $336.6 million cut to School Improvement Grants. HR 1 also includes elimination of the Corporation for National and Community Service which provides Americorps and VISTA support for afterschool programs, as well as a cut to the Child Care Development Block Grant which funds school-age care.

The House and Senate are on recess the week of February 21, 2011. The Senate is expected to vote on HR 1 during the week of February 28th. Now is the time to make the case for support and funding of school and community based before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs that inspire learning, keep kids safe and help working families. Encourage your Members of Congress to visit afterschool programs, talk to them about afterschool, and send an email today in support of afterschool programs.

 

 

FY2011 Appropriations Update: The Amendments

 

As we hit the middle of the week, there continue to be two different fiscal year budgets in the news: the President's FY2012 budget proposal (see the entry below from February 14, 2011) that would fund the fiscal year that starts on October 1, 2011, and ends on September 30, 2012; and the House of Representatives Continuing Resolution (CR) budget for the federal government for the seven months remaining in FY2011 (through September 30, 2011). The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the CR this week, before sending it to the Senate shortly before the current CR expires on March 4, 2011. As part of the House Continuing Resolution, HR 1, over $100 billion in spending cuts are proposed, details of which can be found below under the entry from February 11, 2011. Additionally about 700 amendments have been introduced, many of which would further cut federal spending. Several of these would directly impact federal education and afterschool program funding: 

·         Campbell amendment #6, which would cut non-security programs by an additional $16 billion. If this additional cut were applied proportionately to all domestic agencies, education programs would be cut by an additional $2 billion.

·         Campbell amendment #7, which would cut non-security programs by an additional $14 billion. If this additional cut were applied proportionately to all domestic agencies, education programs would be cut by an additional $1.8 billion.

·         Tipton amendment #19, which cuts all funds in the bill by an additional 1%, cutting education programs by an additional $593 million.

·         Poe amendment #169 – eliminates funds for NSF elementary/secondary education programs

·         Pearce amendment #343 which prohibits any finds from being expended in excess of authorized amounts.  Since the authorization of appropriations for all ESEA programs, including 21st CCLC, have expired, this amendment would eliminate finding for ALL ESEA programs – cutting more than an additional $20 billion.

·         Blackburn amendment #423 which cuts all funding in the bill by an additional 5%, which would cut education programs by an additional $3 billion

·         Mack amendment #454 which eliminates all funding for ESEA programs. This would eliminate over $20 billion for Title I, school improvement grants, 21st CCLC afterschool programs, Impact Aid, teacher quality, Indian education, rural education, English Language Act acquisition grants, charter schools, magnet schools, and many other programs.

·         Lamborn amendments # 503 and 504 which increase funding for DoD by further cutting funding for all domestic programs including education.

·         Campbell amendment #518 which further cuts non-security funding by an additional 5.5%, which would result in an additional cut to education programs of $3.3 billion.

·         Campbell amendment #518 which further cuts non-security funding by an additional 3.5%, which would result in an additional cut to education programs of $2.1 billion.

·         LaTourette amendment # 540 which cuts aggregate funding for Labor-HHS-Education programs by 17.33% below FY 10.  If this cut were applied proportionately to each agency, Education would be cut by $11.1 billion below FY 10 – almost triple the cut already contained in HR 1. 

 

Friends of afterschool programs should continue to reach out to Members of Congress on the importance of afterschool programs. 

 

 

Presidents Proposed FY2012 Budget Includes $100 million Increase for 21^st CCLC

 

This morning the President released his budget request for FY2012 including proposed increases for the key initiatives that support afterschool programs. Overall the $3.7 trillion budget blueprint includes more than 200 program terminations and reductions representing over $30 billion in savings. The 21^st Century Community Learning Centers initiative received a $100 million increase. Consistent with last year’s proposal, the Administration proposes opening up 21^st CCLC to support expanded learning time programs and community schools, in addition to before-school, afterschool and summer programs. The budget materials include the following explanation of proposed program changes, including a desire to change the program from one that is formula funded to one that is competitive between state education agencies:

The Administration’s reauthorization proposal for 21st Century Community Learning Centers would support before- and after-school programs, summer enrichment programs, summer school programs, expanded-learning-time programs, and full-service community schools. All local projects would provide additional time for students, including students with the greatest academic needs and those who are meeting State academic achievement standards, to participate in (1) academic activities that are aligned with the instruction those students receive during the regular school day and are targeted to their academic needs; and (2) enrichment and other activities that complement the academic program. Projects could also provide teachers the time they need to collaborate, plan, and engage in professional development within and across grades and subjects. This enhanced flexibility would allow communities to determine the best strategies for enabling their students and teachers to get the time and support they need. The $100 million increase proposed for 2012 would support the broader range of programs and strategies proposed under reauthorization and enable grantees to provide higher-quality programming to students and their families.

 

In terms of the Education Department overall, the proposal includes a $7.5 billion increase, but $5.4 billion of that is reserved for Pell Grants. The budget proposal advances the concepts developed in A Blueprint for Reform, the administration’s proposal for the reauthorization of ESEA that was released in March 2010. The President’s new budget proposal also includes

·         $150 million for the Promise Neighborhoods initiative, an increase from the $10 million planning grants in the FY2010 budget. 

·         Continued support for the Race to the Top program requesting $900 million, though school districts would be able to apply for the grants directly.

·         $300 million for the Investing in Innovation Fund.

·         School Improvement Grants, now called School Turnaround Grants, would see an increase of $54 million for a total of $600 million.

·         Funding for the Safe, Successful and Healthy Students Initiative at $365 million, which consolidates several existing programs including the Physical Education Program.

 

Outside of the Department of Education, the budget includes $6.3 billion for the Child Care and Development Fund, an increase of $1.3 billion, to support 1.7 million children with child care subsidies. Of the $1.3 billion increase, $800 million would be discretionary funds (appropriated on annual basis and does not require a state match) and $500 million would be mandatory funds (which would require a state match).

Lastly, the budget proposes $1.258 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service, an increase of $107.9 million (9.4 percent) above the FY 2010 enacted level of $1.15 billion.  The adjoining budget documents state that “although reaching the goal of engaging 250,000 AmeriCorps members will be extremely difficult in this constrained environment, the Budget provides Americans with more opportunities to serve, gain valuable job and leadership skills, and foster innovation in communities across the country.” Click here for the Afterschool Alliance's statement on the FY2012 budget request.

 

 

 

House FY 2011 Continuing Resolution Released, Includes Proposed Cuts to Afterschool Program Funding

 

Just three days before the President is expected to release his proposed budget for FY2012, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) introduced a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would fund the government from March 4th (when the current CR expires) through September 30, 2011. According to the summary released by the Appropriations Committee, "the fiscal year 2011 CR crafted by the House Appropriations Committee represents the largest reduction in non-security discretionary spending in the history of the nation." The legislation cuts more than $100 billion in federal spending compared to the President's fiscal year 2011 budget request, Department of Education spending is cut by $4.899 billion compared to FY 2010. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative is cut by $100 million. Over the course of a year a $100 million cut would result in 100,000 fewer children being provided needed programs (this table shows the impact of such a cut at the state level.) The CR eliminates funding for the Americorps program. The Child Care Development Block Grant is cut by $39 million. A table detailing all proposed funding levels can be found here. The Continuing Resolution (HR 1) is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives this month. It must then be passed by the Senate and signed by the President. If both chambers cannot agree on a CR by March 4th, another temporary CR must be passed or the government could temporarily shutdown.

 

Friends of afterschool programs should continue to reach out to Members of Congress on the importance of afterschool programs.