Senate Advances Education Spending Measure, Avoids Major Cuts to Critical Programs

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced their bill to fund Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, making good on their promise to produce a bipartisan bill. The bill essentially level-funds the U.S. Department of Education, following a deal within the Fiscal Responsibility Act, enacted into law in June, that restricts federal spending for FY 2024 to the FY 2023 (current) levels. Despite the stagnant overall funding, increases were made to key programs. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B grants to states program, which is currently funded at $14.2 billion, would receive a $175 million increase; IDEA Part D Personnel Preparation would receive an approximately $20 million increase, bringing that program to $135 million; and IDEA Part C grants for infants and families would receive a $20 million boost, bringing that total funding level to $560 million. Special education research, the Javits Gifted and Talented grant program, IDEA preschool grants, and mental health personnel grants would all be continued at the FY 2023 funding level. While the Senate bill spares key education programs from cuts, a final bill will need to be approved by both the Senate and the House, which has proposed drastic cuts to education funding. Lawmakers, who have left town for the annual August recess, are gearing up for intense negotiations in September.

Learn more about the Senate Labor-H bill here.