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Illinois would reap $5.5 billion in federal education funding under President
George W. Bush’s proposed $56 billion discretionary budget
for education in 2006. That amount is an increase of $285 million
over what the state received in 2005. The Bush Administration is touting
the budget plan as a major step toward improving high schools, by providing
almost $1.5 billion for an initiative that would include, for instance,
more assessments, more Advanced Placement courses and individual education
plans for low-performing students. But the budget also eliminates some
popular programs, such as GEAR-UP, a college readiness program for low-income
students, and Upward Bound, which provides grants to colleges for academic
preparation of disadvantaged high school students. The chart below shows
how Illinois would fare.
|
Program
|
2006 Proposal
(in millions)
|
2005 Funding
(in millions)
|
| High School Initiative |
20.6 |
0 (New) |
| High School Assessments |
8.7 |
0 (New) |
| Title 1 |
565 |
538 |
| Reading First |
37.8 |
37.8 |
| Even Start* |
Eliminated |
8.4 |
| Math/Science Partnerships |
5.3 |
6.3 |
| Educational technology |
Eliminated |
19.8 |
| 21st Century Community Learning Centers |
40.2 |
40.6 |
| Innovating Program grants+ |
4.2 |
8.3 |
| Teacher Incentive** |
17.4 |
0 (New) |
| Safe & Drug-Free Schools |
Eliminated |
17.5 |
| Special education state grants |
487 |
467 |
| Vocational education, tech-prep |
Eliminated |
49 |
|
*Combines early childhood, adult and parenting education
+Grants for supplemental programs, such as staff development or
smaller classes
**Pay for incentives to keep highly qualified teachers in high-poverty
schools
Source: U.S. Department of Education data
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