Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Summary — February 2, 2004

Archived  Information

Section III.  Programs Proposed for Elimination

• Overview
• Program Terminations
• Program Descriptions

Overview

The 2005 request continues the practice of the Bush Administration—also consistent with previous administrations over the past two decades—of proposing to eliminate or consolidate funding for programs that are have achieved their original purpose, that duplicate other programs, that may be carried out with flexible State formula grant funds, or that involve activities that are better or more appropriately supported through State, local, or private resources. In addition, the government-wide Program Assessment Rating Tool, or PART, helps target funding to Department of Education programs that generate positive results for students and that meet strong accountability standards. For 2005, PART findings were used to redirect funds from ineffective programs to more effective activities, as well as to identify reforms to help address program weaknesses.

The following table shows the programs proposed for elimination in the President's 2005 budget request. Termination of these 38 programs frees up more than $1.4 billion—based on 2004 levels—for reallocation to more effective, higher priority activities. Following the table is a brief summary of each program and the rationale for its elimination.

Program Terminations

Program Descriptions
(figures reflect 2004 BA in millions)

Supports innovative and effective programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools that may be funded through flexible Safe and Drug-Free Schools State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.

Makes non-competitive awards to VSA arts and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as competitive awards for national demonstrations and Federal leadership activities to encourage the integration of the arts into the school curriculum. Consistent with Administration policy of terminating small categorical programs with limited impact in order to fund higher priorities.

Provides financial assistance to athletes who are training at the United States Olympic Education Center or one of the United States Olympic Training centers and who are pursuing a postsecondary education. Athletes can receive grant, work-study, and loan assistance through the Department's postsecondary student aid programs.

Non-competitive award to Close Up Foundation supports fellowships to low-income students and teachers participating in Close Up visits to Washington, DC and other activities. Peer organizations provide scholarships to some of their participants without Federal assistance.

Supports centers that offer disadvantaged residents of economically distressed areas access to computers and training. Program has limited impact and funding for similar activities is available through other Federal agencies.

This program largely duplicates activities that are readily carried out under the Title I Grants to LEAs program. For example, the NCLB Act lowered the poverty threshold for Title I schoolwide projects to 40 percent, thus permitting some 5,000 additional schools to use Title I funds to carry out the types of whole-school reforms supported by the CSR program. An estimated 28,000 Title I schools already operate schoolwide projects and thus enjoy the opportunity to conduct comprehensive reform efforts. In addition, comprehensive reform is encouraged as part of school improvement efforts undertaken by Title I schools that do not make adequate yearly progress toward State standards for at least 2 consecutive years.

Funds technical assistance and professional development activities for faculty and administrators in institutions of higher education in order to improve the quality of education for students with disabilities. This program has achieved its primary goal of funding model demonstration projects. New projects can be funded under FIPSE.

Significantly higher funding for dropout prevention and re-entry programs available through Title I Grants to LEAs, Title I Migrant State Grants, and State Grants for Innovative Programs makes this program unnecessary.

Clearinghouse of K-12 mathematics and science resources is no longer needed now that the new Comprehensive Centers program will provide such information for all grades and subject areas.

The new Comprehensive Centers program will disseminate exemplary instructional materials and provide technical assistance in the use of improved teaching methods and assessment across grades and subject areas.

Program of grants to support elementary school and secondary school counseling programs has limited impact and may be funded through other larger and more flexible Federal programs, such as ESEA Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.

This program aims to improve educational opportunities for children and their parents in low-income areas by integrating early childhood education, adult education, and parenting education into "family literacy" programs. However, three separate national evaluations of the program reached the same conclusion: children and adults participating in Even Start generally made gains in literacy skills, but these gains were not significantly greater than those of non-participants. For this reason, Even Start funds will be redirected to provide increases for higher-priority programs, including the research-based Reading First and Early Reading First programs, which are better suited to address the President's literacy goals.

Supports a grant to a single national non-profit educational organization to promote economic and financial literacy for K-12 students. Duplicates specific ESEA Title V-A authority, and elimination is consistent with Administration policy of terminating small categorical programs with limited impact in order to fund higher priorities.

Supports culturally based educational activities, internships, apprenticeship programs and exchanges for Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and children and families of Massachusetts. Consistent with Administration policy of terminating small categorical programs with limited impact in order to fund higher priorities.

Institutional revolving funds totaling $7 billion will continue to support more than $1 billion in new Perkins Loans each year without additional capital contributions. In addition, affordable postsecondary student loan assistance is readily available through the Federal Family Education Loan and Ford Direct Student Loan programs.

Activities to promote improvement and expansion of foreign language instruction may be supported by larger, more flexible ESEA programs, such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.

Activities to help schools to meet the special educational needs of gifted and talented students may be supported through other larger and more flexible Federal programs, such as Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.

Program has accomplished its objective of stimulating all States to establish need-based postsecondary student grant programs, and Federal incentives for such aid are no longer required. State grant levels have expanded greatly over the years, and most States significantly exceed the statutory matching requirements. State matching funds in academic year 1999-2000, for example, totaled nearly $1 billion or more than $950 million over the level generated by a dollar-for-dollar match.

Competitive grants to State and local correctional agencies and correctional education agencies support programs that reduce recidivism through the improvement of "life skills." Request is consistent with the Administration's effort to eliminate small programs that have only indirect or limited effect.

Supports rehabilitation services to migratory workers with disabilities, but such activities may be funded through the VR State Grants program.

Supports a nationwide nonprofit educational organization that promotes K-16 teacher training programs in the effective teaching of writing. States may support such activities through flexible programs like Improving Teacher Quality State Grants.

Support for State career guidance and academic counseling programs for youth and adults will be addressed as part of the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.

Parent education and family involvement programs are required and funded under other ESEA programs, such as Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, and are a specifically authorized use of funds under ESEA Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.

PWI projects help individuals with disabilities obtain employment and advance their careers in the competitive labor market. VR State Grants serves the same target populations and may be used to support PWI projects.

This program supports competitive grants to nonprofit telecommunications entities to carry out programs to improve teaching in core curriculum areas, and to develop, produce, and distribute innovative educational and instructional video programming. Educational Technology State grants and Improving Teacher Quality State grants provide ample resources for the types of activities supported by this program.

Supports projects that provide recreation and related activities for individuals with disabilities to aid in their employment, mobility, independence, socialization, and community integration. The program has limited impact, and such activities are more appropriately financed by State and local agencies and the private sector.

Recent reauthorization did not make needed improvement in structure and function of the Regional Educational Laboratories, which have not consistently provided high quality research and development products or evidence-based training and technical assistance.

The new Comprehensive Centers program will disseminate exemplary instructional materials and provide technical assistance in the use of improved teaching methods and assessment across grades and subject areas.

Program supports recruiting, training, and retaining principals and assistant principals—activities that are specifically authorized under other, much larger programs such as Improving Teacher Quality State Grants and State Grants for Innovative Programs.

The creation or expansion of smaller learning communities in large high schools may be supported by Title I Grants to LEAs and State Grants for Innovative Programs—the latter of which specifically authorizes the creation of smaller learning communities.

Programs like Educational Technology State grants and Improving Teacher Quality State grants provide ample resources for the distance education projects supported by Star Schools.

Formula grants to State correctional agencies assist and encourage incarcerated youth to acquire functional literacy skills and life and job skills. Request is consistent with the Administration's effort to eliminate small programs that have only indirect or limited effect on improving student outcomes.

Program has accomplished its goal of developing collaborative programs with appropriate public and private nonprofit organizations to provide supported employment services for individuals with the most significant disabilities. Similar activities may be supported with VR State Grants.

A demonstration program to support consortia that establish secondary technical education program on community college campuses would no longer be necessary under the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.

A separate State grant program to support State efforts to develop structural links between secondary and postsecondary institutions that integrate academic and vocational education would no longer be necessary under the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.

Provides grants to non-profit educational organizations to establish facilities that house, display, and interpret artifacts relating to the history of the Underground Railroad, as well as to make the interpretive efforts available to institutions of higher education. The program has largely achieved its original purpose.

These activities, including assessment, evaluation, dissemination, and technical assistances, will be addressed as part of the Administration's reauthorization strategy for career and technical education.

Activities promoting educational equity for girls and women may be supported through larger, more flexible programs like ESEA Title V-A State Grants for Innovative Programs.

Institute of Education Sciences   Departmental Management

For further information contact the ED Budget Service.

This page last modified—February 2, 2004 (mjj).