The President's budget funds literacy programs

[ProSense]

Some programs were eliminated as separate budget items and consolidated according to the budget summary. The funding increased overall.

Section II. A. Elementary and Secondary Education

New Authority (Consolidated Programs)

Effective Teachers and Leaders (Ready to Teach, Teacher Quality State Grants)

Teacher and Leader Innovation Fund (Advanced Credentialing, Teacher Incentive Fund)

Teacher and Leader Pathways (School Leadership, Teach for America, Teacher Quality Partnership, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow, Transition to Teaching)

Effective Teaching and Learning: Literacy (Striving Readers, Literacy through School Libraries, National Writing Project, Reading is Fundamental, Ready-to-Learn Television, Even Start)

Effective Teaching and Learning: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Mathematics and Science Partnerships)

Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education (Teaching American History, Academies for American History and Civics, Civic Education, Close-Up Fellowships, Excellence in Economic Education, Foreign Language Assistance, Arts in Education)

National Activities (Educational Technology State Grants {Note: Each program would include a focus on educational technology})

College Pathways and Accelerated Learning (Advanced Placement, High School Graduation Initiative, Javits Gifted and Talented Education)

Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students (Alcohol Abuse Reduction, Elementary and Secondary School Counseling, Foundations for Learning, Mental Health Integration in Schools, Physical Education Program, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Activities)

Expanding Educational Options (Charter Schools Grants, Credit Enhancement for Charter School, Facilities, Parental Information and Resource Centers, Smaller Learning Communities, Voluntary Public School Choice)

Funding details: Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Summary — February 14, 2011

[ProSense]

1. No comment? n/t

[Rex]

3. Sure, since no one else cares to lol.

Obama's budget cuts set to hurt the working poor:

http://newsone.com/nation/washington-watch/newsonestaff2/obamas-budget-proposal-to-hurt-poor-middle-class/

http://www.bvonmoney.com/2011/02/14/obama-s-budget-proposal-will-hurt-poor-cut-aid-to-middle-class/

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/21/cascading-medicaid-cuts-hurt-the-poor-and-burden-the-states/

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_central_cincinnati/roselawn/community-action-agency-says-obama's-proposed-budget-cuts-will-reduce-funding-to-local-programs

:eyes:

[ProSense]

5. Here:

President Obama keeps promise, creates "first major federal antipoverty effort in decades"

President Obama's Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness

Obama's budget and low-income families, head start, homelessness

[Rex]

6. And here...

EXCLUSIVE: White House to Cut Energy Assistance for the Poor

http://nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/exclusive-obama-to-cut-energy-assistance-for-the-poor-20110209

Will Obama’s Proposed Cuts to Heating Assistance Leave Poor Out in Cold?

http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/politics-surround-obamas-heating-cuts-for-the-poor

Obama To Cut Energy Assistance For Poor; Kerry Urges Him To Reconsider

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/obama-poor-energy-cuts-kerry-letter_n_821061.html

[ProSense]

8. Yeah, I know about LIHEAP. Here:

National Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Service Corps Kick-Off in Philadelphia

Food stamp budget increased

[Rex]

11. And his failure to help teachers and workers...

Wisconsin Protests: Labor Protesters Call On Obama To Join Them In Madison
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-protesters-call-on-obama_n_825361.html

All teachers fired at R.I. school. Will that happen elsewhere?
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2010/0225/All-teachers-fired-at-R.I.-school.-Will-that-happen-elsewhere

And his failure to make BP clean up their mess

Official: BP shows reluctance to fix spill damage
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/28/2090125/restoration-official-bp-reluctant.html#ixzz1Fr0186FC

Honestly, a primary challenger is all but assured.

[Rex]

13. No comment?

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. RIF has been cut though. But it was Bush who killed it.

Dubya reduced the funding to an unsustainable level. RIF stopped giving free books to kids several years ago, before Obama was elected. Obama is cutting it because it's just too expensive to replace the funding Bush eliminated.

This could be true of other programs as well. Bush reduced a lot of programs that helped the poor without eliminating them entirely. He also cut funding but scheduled cuts to not take place for several years, AFTER he had left office. Hence, the next president (Obama) would get the blame.

One more reason to blame Bush for even more crap. :)

[tekisui]

4. Where can we find the details of the new programs?

[Scurrilous]

7. K & R

:thumbsup:

[tekisui]

9. On the Literacy Programs, funding was increased $20 million among the total 6 former

programs. But, we do we know how the money will be allocated. From the link you provide:

"$383 million for a new Effective Teaching and Learning: Literacy program, an increase of $20 million over the 2010 appropriation for current literacy programs, that would support the development and implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based State and local efforts to provide high-quality literacy programs aligned with college- and career-ready English language arts standards. These programs would be designed to address the need to comprehensively strengthen instruction and to increase student achievement in high-need LEAs and schools for students from preschool through grade 12, with LEAs able to focus funds on the areas of their greatest need."

My question is, will these "evidence-based" efforts provide what RIF did? Namely: "Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in the United States. We prepare and motivate children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. We inspire children to be lifelong readers through the power of choice. RIF provides new, free books for children to choose from and make their own. The seeds of inspiration in these books have motivated children to follow their dreams and achieve their potential. Yes, it seems incredible for a book to launch a life, but it happens every day as hungry, inquisitive young minds reach out and grab hold of the new people, places, and ideas that books bring them." http://www.rif.org/us/about-rif.htm

A real part of the value in RIF was the choice and providing children with books. "Evidence-based" programs sounds like more testing, more cookie-cutter programming with the potential of funneling money to testers and test-preppers.

That is just RIF, there are 5 other quality programs that will no longer be funded, replaced with this cryptic Effective Teaching and Learning: Literacy Program. What EXACTLY will the program do?

[Wilms]

10. Obama and Congress eliminate the "Reading is Fundamental" program

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x571438

:hi:

[Tatiana]

12. I continue to be opposed to RTTT. Public education is a right, not a competition.

I also continue to be opposed to charter school funding that siphons needed dollars away from public schools. Charter schools do no better than neighborhood public schools, so I don't see why we are handing charters and their corporate administrators federal dollars for a substandard product. The money would be better spent to develop new innovative public schools like STEM schools(Science Technology Engineering and Math) or additional IB programs (International Baccalaureate) programs. Or, those funds could be added to the puny amount requested to support magnet schools.