Can Funding Prevent “Education Catastrophe”?
Senate Democrats are pushing for another bailout of recession-hit public schools, reports the Washington Post. Iowa’s Tom Harkin, the Senate’s leading Democrat on education issues, has proposed a $23 billion package to help K-12 schools across the country avoid layoffs of teachers and staff. Last year, as part of the economic stimulus package, Washington gave nearly $100 billion to states to help them shore up schools hit by budget squeezes. Even as the nation pulls out of the downturn, joblessness remains high and state revenues have yet to recover.
While the Administration hasn’t endorsed Harkin’s bill, Education Secretary Arne Duncan signaled that the White House wants Congress to deliver some sort of aid to schools, the Post says. “It’s brutal out there, really scary . . . what we’re trying to do avoid is an education catastrophe,” said Duncan, who also estimated that layoffs could total 100,000 to 300,000 this fall.
The American Association of School Administrators says 90 percent of members it polled say they expect to cut positions next school year. Harkin’s bill immediately attracted 13 Democrat co-sponsors, but so far no Republicans have signed on. But, some leading Republicans indicated that they haven’t closed the door to some sort of aid package.
Filed under: K-12 Education News
Tags: Education Policy, Public Policy
