President Biden Seeks Large Increases to Education Programs in Budget Proposal

On Thursday, President Biden released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget proposal. The non-binding document outlines the Biden Administration’s vision for “continuing to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out by investing in America, lowering costs for families, protecting and strengthening Medicare and Social Security, and reducing the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade.”

The Department of Education budget request is $90 billion in discretionary funding, which represents a $10.8 billion or 13.6 percent increase from the currently enacted level. Specifically, the proposal increases IDEA Part B grants to states by more than $2 billion, putting the chronically underfunded program on a glidepath to full funding. It provides $400 million in new funding for Part C grants which support early intervention services for infants, toddlers, and their families. Part B preschool grants are also increased by more than $80 million. Furthermore, the Budget addresses educator shortages through increased investment in a series of programs that bolster the educator pipeline and ensure educator quality, including more than doubling funding for IDEA Part D Personnel Preparation.

Recognizing the impact of these programs, the Biden Administration notes, “Every child with a disability should have access to the high-quality early intervention, special education services, and personnel needed to thrive in school and graduate ready for college or a career.” While the Biden Administration continues to propose landmark increases to IDEA programs, it falls short in two CEC priority areas: the Javits Gifted and Talented Education grant program and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER).

To view a summary of the FY 2024 budget proposal for the Department of Education, go here.