Largest Ever Appropriations for U.S. Department of Education

Education Week reports that the FY2019 Appropriations Bill that was passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump represents, not counting inflation, the largest appropriations for the U.S. Department of Education. They write:

In total, the bill Trump signed into law sets the department’s budget at $71.5 billion for fiscal 2019, an increase over fiscal 2018 of $581 million, although that figure doesn’t include a rescission of $500 million from Pell Grant reserves. In general, the fiscal 2019 budget impacts education funding for the 2019-20 school year. The spending package largely ignores the push from Trump and DeVos to create new school choice programs, as well as their proposals to cut the Education Department’s overall budget.

Not adjusting for inflation, the $71.5 billion budget is the largest-ever appropriation from Congress for the Education Department.

But never fear! The spending increase is smaller compared to last year’s!

Compared to last year, the Education Department’s funding increase is smaller—when Trump signed the fiscal 2018 spending bill into law last March, it gave the department a $2.6 billion boost. 

This budget is what reducing the federal footprint in education is supposed to look like? I don’t know about you, but I’m disgusted. Education Week offers a chart that compares the FY18 education spending to the FY19 appropriations. For instance:

• Title I Funding for school districts increases by $100 Million.
• Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Block Grants) get a $70 million increase.
• There is a $100 million increase in special education grants.
• Charter school grants see an increase of $40 million.
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers (After-School Programs) see a $10 million boost.
• The Office for Civil Rights receives $8 million more.
• School Safety National Activities sees a $5 million bump.
• There is $10 million more budgeted for Education Innovation and Research along with $2 million for the Institute of Education Sciences.
• Career-Tech Grants receive $70 million more in appropriations.
• Head Start will receive $240 million more in FY19.

Just awesome.