Devin Boyle | 202.445.0416 | Devin@dfer.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Democrats for Education Reform Releases Statement on FY 2015 Education Budget
Democrats for Education Reform applauds President Obama for continuing to make the kinds of critical investments our nation’s schools need to provide an excellent education for every student. The past several years of financial austerity have placed substantial strain on our education system, and this budget seeks to undo some of the damage. In addition to investments in formula grant programs that flow automatically to virtually every school district in the country, President Obama is once again wisely leveraging investments in smaller programs that fund promising new approaches or expand those with proven effectiveness.
As he did last year, Obama is calling for a significant investment in early childhood. There has been a resurgence of interest in early childhood education across the nation by both political parties, and rightly so. The timing for redoubling our nation’s efforts to expand access to high-quality pre-K could not be better. We hope Congressional Republicans can see the value in catching up with fellow party members at the state and local levels to support and fund high-quality pre-K.
The Obama administration has put forth a much-needed plan to invest $300 million in pilot efforts to narrow student equality gaps in areas such as helping highly effective teachers stay in high-need schools, among other options. These efforts nicely fit with the FY 2015 budget’s theme of increasing economic prosperity. Research shows that our national gross domestic product (GDP) can be increased by $300 to $525 billion by focusing on closing the achievement gap between black and Latino students and white students.
We are also grateful that the President has focused on the other end of the education spectrum as well. The FY 2015 budget contains $150 million in funding for a new high school redesign program, which seeks to connect high schools with employers, colleges, and other partners to ease the transition between secondary and postsecondary education and, ultimately, into the workforce.
Overall, we are deeply appreciative that President Obama continues to make education funding a priority during his administration. The FY 2015 budget reflects a President who understands that resolving the institutionalized inequities of our education system is not just a moral imperative, but an economic one as well.
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About Democrats for Education Reform
Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a political reform organization with 13 state offices that cultivates and supports leaders in the Democratic party who champion America’s public schoolchildren.