With regard to education spending for the upcoming fiscal year, the President's budget seeks a 3% increase for the Department of Education and the programs housed within it – bringing the proposed FY'05 total to $57.3 billion. Some programs, like the Title I program (see summary below) are slated for an increase ($1 billion new dollars bringing the total to $13.3 billion) while other programs are slated for elimination (Elementary and Secondary School Counseling and Gifted and Talent Education to name just 2 of the 38).

Information provided below includes short program descriptions and a funding chart of a number of education programs of interest to the American Psychological Association.

Higher Education

Federal Work Study: The Federal Work Study program provides funds by formula to participating institutions of higher education for grant assistance for needy undergraduate and graduate students who work in part-time jobs for their aid.

Teacher Quality Initiative: This program provides grants to States and university partnerships for initiatives to improve the quality of the preparation and on-the-job training, or professional development for our nation's teachers. APA has submitted a number of proposals to improve this program as part of its recommendations for the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, one of which (defining the term “teaching skills”) was adopted as part of a House Committee passed bill (HR 2211, the Ready to Teach Act).

Pell Grants: The Pell program provides grants to low-income undergraduate college students. Individual grant levels are determined based on financial need and a federally determined maximum grant amount. The President's budget includes a proposal for a new Enhanced Pell Grant for State Scholars program.

Perkins Loan Program: This program provides funds to institutions of Higher Education to make low interest loans to undergraduate and graduate students with financial need. The President proposed only $67.5 million in FY'04, eliminating new capital contributions for the program and therefore virtually eliminating any new loans made to students in the upcoming years. APA has proposed including “psychologists” in the list of those eligible for loan cancellation under this program as part of its recommendation for the Higher Education Act.

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) and Javits Fellowships: These programs provide federal financial assistance to students of high achievement pursuing graduate degrees in the sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences. The GAANN program supports graduate students pursuing studies in federally defined areas of national need which in the past have included biology, chemistry, computer sciences, geological and related sciences, math, physics and engineering. Psychology is eligible under both GAANN and Javits, yet has never been designated as an area of national need under GAANN. Some students pursuing masters and doctorate degrees in psychology have received Javits fellowships in the past.

TRIO and GEAR UP: The TRIO and GEAR UP programs provide support for outreach and student support services (including mentoring, tutoring, academic and career counseling and scholarship funds) for disadvantaged young people in an effort to help them reach and succeed in post secondary study.

Education Research

Education Research, Statistics and Improvement: This account includes funding for education research, regional education labs and statistics -- initiatives that are overseen by the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES). The FY'04 proposal by the Administration eliminates the regional labs and proposes a $45 million increase in "research account" offering a total appropriation for IES of $375.915 million. This recommendation by the President was disappointing due in part to the reliance this Administration has placed on having a research base for education.

Elementary and Secondary Education

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program: The Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program provides federal funds to local school districts to expand and improve counseling services to students. This program has provided important resources to school districts (31 new grants made in FY'01 and 7 in FY'02) to better serve students by establishing or strengthening the counseling services available. In addition, there were 60 new grants announced this week in 26 states totally $20 million. The program was recently reauthorized as part of the passage of the “No Child Left Behind Act.”

Javits Gifted and Talented Program: This program provides national leadership in research and best-practice in the area of gifted and talented education.

Safe and Drug Free Schools Program: This program provides federal funds to States and school districts for research-based drug and violence prevention programs. Uses of funds under the program include counseling services for students.

Title I: Title I of the Elementary Secondary Education Act provides support to high poverty school districts and students for assistance in meeting their educational needs.

IDEA: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA provides federal support for the excess cost of providing special education and related services to students with disabilities.

Reading First and Early Reading First: These programs provide support to school districts (and in some cases non-profit organizations) for reading instruction, reading assessment, implementation of reading curriculum, reading intervention and professional development – all with a scientific base. In addition, some of the funds under this program are available for educational research opportunities.

21 Century Community Learning Centers: This program provides federal funds to schools districts to help them establish or expand learning centers that allow for extended learning opportunities as well as other support and services for students and their families. 

Even Start: This program provides support for family literacy programs.

Alcohol Abuse and Reduction: This program supports innovative and effective programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools.

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