President Biden Releases Full Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal
This afternoon, President Biden released the details of his full Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget proposal. The proposal comes with a $6 trillion price tag, more than three times the typical budget proposal, because it combines annual discretionary spending with current proposals for infrastructure (American Jobs Plan) and families (American Families Plan).
For the Department of Education, President Biden proposes an approximately 41 percent increase over FY 2021 regular appropriations, with a strong emphasis on equity. The largest education increase is a $20 billion boost to Title I, more than doubling that program. The budget includes $16 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—a $2.7 billion increase over 2021 enacted levels—for grants that would support special education and related services.
The increase represents the largest increase in the federal contribution toward meeting the excess cost of special education in two decades.
Below are details about spending line-items of interest to CEC and its members:
-
IDEA Grants to States (Part B Section 611) would receive an approximately $2.6 billion increase, for a total of $15.55 billion.
-
IDEA Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Program (Part C) would receive a $250 million increase, for a total of $731.9 million.
-
IDEA Preschool Program (Part B Section 619) would receive a $105 million increase, for a total of $502.6 million.
-
Part D Personnel Preparation would receive an approximately $160 million increase for a total of $250 million, plus an additional $90 million through the American Families Plan.
-
National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), within the Institute for Education Sciences would be level funded at $58.5 million.
-
Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act would be level-funded at $13.5 million.
Upon the release of a president’s budget, it is typical for Congress to remind the public that they hold the “power of the purse.” However, Congress will review and consider this budget proposal, along with input from stakeholders, as it drafts spending bills for FY 2022.