White House budget for 1999 emphasizes education, science

President Clinton?s proposed 1999 budget holds promise for psychologists involved in education reform, as well as those in scientific, social and behavioral research.

The plan asks Congress for the biggest increase in education spending in 30 years?almost $2 billion for opportunies to rejuvenate the nation?s schools by reducing class size, bolstering teacher quality and continuing national reform efforts.

There are also significant boosts in science funding. In particular, the president highlighted disease prevention research as a priority for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which received an overall budget increase of 8.4 percent. Drug addiction research is also a top priority; NIH?s National Institute on Drug Abuse garnered a 9.3 percent increase.

The social and behavioral sciences also won big with proposed spending for the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Research program received a 16.2 percent increase over its 1998 budget.

Part of the increase includes $9 million for a children?s research initiative that focuses on children?s cognitive development and readiness to learn. Also, the president earmarked $78 million for NSF?s Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence initiative, which will include psychological research on topics such as knowledge networking, learning and intelligent systems and usability networks.

The president?s top education priorities involve issues already under study by psychologists, says Nina Levitt, EdD, APA?s director for education policy. For example, she says, the issue of limiting class size in the early grades warrants more psychological research on teacher effectiveness. The president?s call for teacher training suggests a need for more research on cognitive, emotional and social aspects of learning?such as a learner-centered approach. It also points to a need for the involvement of psychologists in staff development programs, says Levitt.

Also relevant to psychologists is Clinton?s continued emphasis on school reform, particularly in high-poverty urban and rural districts, says Karen Anderson, PhD, director of APA?s Center for Psychology in Schools and Education. The budget would also increase funding for before- and after-school programs, technology in the classroom and reading and mathematics achievement?all efforts that involve psychologists.

The president?s funding requests for educational research, development and dissemination programs through the Department of Education?s Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) remain similar to 1998 funding levels. But there is one increase: a proposed new interagency research initiative between OERI, the NSF and the NIH. The initiative would fund university-based research by psychologists and other scientists.

Highlights of Clinton?s proposed education budget:

? $1.1 billion for Class Reduction Initiative?Reduce first-, second- and third-grade class sizes to 18 students so that students receive more personal attention from teachers. Also recruit and train 100,000 new teachers over the next seven years.

? $475 million for the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund?Help more schools buy computers and train teachers to use technology.

? $260 million for America Reads?Provide tutoring and improved reading instruction in schools so that children read well by the end of the third-grade.

? $200 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers program?Expand before- and after-school programs that give children extra learning opportunities.

? $175 million for Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration program?Help low-income schools with reform efforts.

? $32 million for Department of Education/National Science Foundation Strategy?Improve math and technology instruction and achievement.

For more information on the president?s 1999 education budget and on the science budget, visit the APA web site at: http://www.apa.org/ppo/.