House Appropriations Hears from Secretary Cardona on Department of Education Budget

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Services held a hearing on Tuesday to review the US Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal, which was released last month. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona provided testimony and fielded questions. 

In his opening statement, Secretary Cardona summarized the Department’s request for a $10.8 billion increase as achieving four core themes: achieving academic success, boldly improving learning conditions, creating pathways for global engagement, and making postsecondary education inclusive and affordable. He pointed to requested increases in special education programs as a way “to provide targeted increases designed to support the needs of students, schools, districts, and families.” 

The subsequent question and answer session demonstrated the vast divide between Republicans, who would like to significantly scale back or eliminate federal education spending, and Democrats, who support significant increases to FY 2024 education spending. 

Following the lead of Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL), most majority members questioned the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Education and suggested it be abolished- a growing trend among House Republicans, 75% of whom went on record this month in support of abolishing the Department in an amendment that ultimately failed. Democratic members, in contrast, asked Secretary Cardona to discuss the impact of budget cuts proposed by the House majority on several programs including Title I and IDEA. The Secretary explained that proposed cuts to IDEA could eliminate 48,000 special educators in a profession that is already facing shortages, impacting the 7.5 million students with disabilities. Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reiterated the impact cuts would have on school personnel. 

Chair Aderholt is currently working on a draft bill for FY 2024, which is expected to move through the Appropriations Committee sometime in June. A final product will need to be negotiated between the Republican-controlled House and a Democrat-controlled Senate, and signed into law by President Biden.

Watch a recording of the hearing here.