NEA Report Identifies Funding
Gaps in Federal Education Programs

No Child Left Behind?: The Funding Gap in ESEA and Other Federal Education Programs,a new NEA report ( PDF, 1,344k, 40 pages) finds that the federal government is not giving states adequate resources to meet the requirements imposed by the so-called "No Child Left Behind" Act — falling short even of the resources the 2-year-old law specifically calls for.

The goal of NCLB is to bring the test scores of all students up to state standards, including poor, disabled, minority and Limited English Proficient students.

But if the government is holding states and school districts accountable for raising the achievement of all students to strict proficiency standards, shouldn't it also be accountable for fully funding the federal programs designed to support that effort?

Yet, NEA researchers found that NCLB, the current rewrite of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), fell short of full funding by more than $32 billion in 2003.

And eight other federal education programs serving Americans from preschool age through adulthood had funding gaps totaling almost $49 billion for 2003.

Federal funding is crucial now, as state and local governments, already contributing more than 90 percent of total education funding, struggle with fiscal crises of their own.

The No Child Left Behind? report explains what resources are needed for full funding of education programs. The report also:

• defines full funding as the amount needed to serve all children eligible for various programs. The study also clarifies different, and potentially misleading, uses of the term "full funding."
• calculates full funding for NCLB and each of its 70 programs and eight other major education programs such as Head Start, Pell Grants and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• shows the gaps between full education funding and what is currently provided by the federal government.
• does NOT argue for "throwing money" at all federal education programs, but does suggest that the gap between present funding and full funding for education is far too large.

The No Child Left Behind? report finds that funding gaps in NCLB and other federal education programs in 2003 were daunting:

• NCLB overall had a gap of more than $32.6 billion.
• NCLB's Title I-A program for disadvantaged students had a funding gap of $16.5 billion
• Federal education funding for 2004 is not yet final, however it is clear Title I-A is likely to have funding gap of about $28 billion.
• The funding trend is getting worse, not better.

To derive the summary numbers for full funding and the funding gaps, along with detailed calculations for NCLB and other federal programs, the study used formulas written into the relevant legislation.

Where the legislation did not contain formulas, the study used current or previous congressional authorizations. The calculations also adjusted for inflation and program changes. The study’s methodology evaluates what it would cost to serve all those who are eligible for the programs-that is, to leave no child behind. It cuts through ambiguities in the laws (e.g., authorization levels that do not fulfill the law’s own funding formulas and lack of specific authorizations for ongoing, funded programs).

Clearly NCLB, now "celebrating'' its second anniversary, requires swift and careful reconsideration and much more realistic alignment of resources and expectations.

Underfunded budgets and high expectations equal failure. But full funding and appropriate testing and accountability measures is the best recipe for success.