Low Budgets Leave Children Behind

Without flexibility and resources, the so-called "No Child Left Behind" Act will fall far short of its laudable goals: high achievement for all students.

NEA research shows that the Administration's budget proposals are leaving behind millions of deserving children across the nation.

Disadvantaged Children Left Behind: 5.3 million

The Bush budget does not provide enough Title 1 funds to help all of the nation's eligible children receive books, lessons, and other assistance. Full funding would help an additional 5.3 million children.

Teachers Left Behind: 15,000

The Bush budget does not provide the fullest funding allowed under law for teacher recruitment and training programs that ease the overcrowding of classrooms and provide individual attention to struggling students. Full funding would allow schools to hire an additional 15,000 teachers.

English-Language Learners Left Behind: 3.8 million

The Bush budget does not provide all of the funds necessary to help every student who is learning English as a second language. Full funding would allow schools to teach English language skills to an additional 3.8 million children.

Preschool Children Left Behind: 3.1 million

The Bush budget does not provide the fullest funding allowed under law for serving disadvantaged preschoolers and their families under Head Start. Full funding would bring education, health and social services to an additional 3.1 million preschoolers.

College Students Left Behind: 3.1 million

The Bush budget does not provide the funds necessary to help all the deserving young adults get Pell Grants for college study. Full funding would make college a reality for an additional 3.1 million students.

For more:

• See what's happening in your state.
• See more national numbers on other federal education programs. ( PDF, 2 pages)
• Learn more about funding gaps in 14 federal programs in your state or Congressional district.

Notes on Numbers

General Source Note: Estimates were derived by Fiscal Planning Services, Inc. (FPSi) from U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services budget data. For more information, contact FPSi at 301-652-FPSi (3774) or 1-800-990-FPSi.

Title 1 (Disadvantaged Children): Estimates include all four formula grants: Basic (section 1124), Concentration (section 1124A), Targeted (section 1125), and Education Finance Incentive (section 1125A). Full funding estimates are based on the Congressional Research Service's calculation of maximum payments for poor children as authorized.

Teachers: Estimates reflect the number of additional teachers who could be hired at an average starting salary under full funding of the Improving Teacher Quality State Grant Programs.

English-language learners: Full funding estimate is based on restoring the peak level of support per limited-English-proficient student as was funded under the antecedent program.

Head Start (Preschoolers): The full funding estimate is based on the cost of serving all eligible children (of any age prior to compulsory school attendance) from low-income households as authorized. Head Start is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Pell Grants (College Students): Estimates reflect program costs. Authorization and full funding estimates are based on the cost of increasing the maximum award to the authorized level for academic year 2003-2004.