The House Appropriations Committee is planning to file a consolidated appropriations bill for FY2008 this Sunday night that would provide $932.8 billion for all programs including education. This bill could be heard on the House floor as early as Monday night or Tuesday morning. Given California’s growing fiscal crisis, federal funding for education will be urgently needed to support current programs. Please contact your representative by Monday December 17 to ensure that proposed increases for education funding will be included in a final appropriations bill for FY2008.

The proposed increases for K-12 programs are greatly needed. These increases 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, $99 million has been proposed to fund Title V Innovative Education grants, which have a proven track record of success in helping school districts address local needs for school performance and academic achievement.

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
House of Representatives, CA Members

Sample letter

Subject: Support Federal Funding for K-12 Programs

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

As a school board member in your congressional district, I strongly urge you to maintain the funding increases proposed for education in the final appropriations bill for FY2008. The proposed increases for K-12 programs are greatly needed to help school districts continue to raise student achievement and fulfill the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act.

The proposed increases 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, I 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 inc reases proposed for K-12 programs are greatly needed and will help restore federal investment in education as a domestic priority. Overall, these increases represent less than one percent of the federal budget. 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; greater funding demands for Medicaid and other healthcare costs; lower sales tax revenues; and investments needed for critical infrastructure. Given California's current fiscal crisis, federal funding for education will be urgently needed to support current programs.

The progress Congress has made towards increasing the federal investment in our schools should not be compromised. Again, I urge 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,

Your Name
cc:
NSBA Manager Kathleen Branch (kbranch@nsba.org)