Letter to Congress: December 6, 2007

December 6, 2007

Member
United States Congress
Washington, DC  20515

Re:   Fiscal Year 2008 Appropriations

Dear Member of Congress:

On behalf of the 95,000 school board members who represent the nation’s 49 million students in our local school districts, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) urges your strong support to maintain the increases proposed for education in the final appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008.

NSBA applauds the bipartisan support demonstrated with Congress’ passage of an initial appropriations bill for education (H.R. 3043), which would have provided the targeted increases needed to help school districts continue raising student achievement and fulfill the goals of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. 

Specifically, the increases proposed include $1.47 billion for Title I grants for disadvantaged students, $375 million for school improvement grants, $500 million for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act-Part B grants, $150 million for teacher quality state grants, $53 million for English Language Acquisition, and $25 million for Career and Technical Education.  In addition, we urge you to maintain funding for Title V Innovative Education Grants ($99 million), which have a proven track record of success in helping school districts address local needs for school performance and academic achievement. 

The increases proposed for K-12 programs are greatly needed and will help restore the federal investment in education as a domestic priority and as the key to maintaining America’s competitiveness in the global economy.  Overall, these increases represent less than one percent of the federal budget.  However, increased federal funding for education is sorely needed as many states and communities project sharp declines in fiscal conditions attributable to a number of factors including losses in property tax revenues (which is a major source of funding for education in many states); greater funding demands for Medicaid and other healthcare costs; lower sales tax revenues; and investments needed for critical infrastructure.  According to the Fiscal Survey of States, recently released by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers, many states have already begun drawing on their rainy day funds to address budget shortfalls caused by lower-than-anticipated revenues; and the decline of total balances in fiscal 2008 suggests this trend will continue.

The progress Congress has made towards increasing the federal investment in our students and schools should not be compromised.  NSBA urges your strong support to ensure that these increases already approved for education will be included in a final appropriations bill for FY2008.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Resnick
Associate Executive Director