February 2, 2009 - Posted by Antoine Morris
With the $14 billion already allocated in the 2009 federal budget, the additional $13 billion in stimulus spending over the next two years for Title I represents a nearly 50 percent increase from current levels.
By contrast, when compared to the funding levels recommended by Congress, President Bush and Congress shortchanged Title I schools by 48 percent or $12 billion in 2007, and 44 percent or $11.1 billion in 2008, according to the National Education Association.
But with the national high school graduation rate at 58 percent for Hispanics, 55 percent for African Americans, and only 51 percent for Native Americans, compared to a national average for all students of 71 percent, education advocates are concerned that the stimulus bill doesn't specifically direct money toward addressing the nation's dropout crisis or the unique learning needs of students who do not speak English as their primary language.
David Goldberg, senior counsel for LCCR, said that the bill's largest allocation towards education, most of a $79 billion grant program for the states to prevent cuts to various programs, is a missed opportunity to begin addressing the need for large-scale high school reform.
"Unless this funding is targeted to particular schools, it is likely that most of it will be given to well-funded high schools that are more adept at applying for competitive grant money, rather than the under-funded schools that need it the most," said Goldberg.
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