End Head Start, School Lunch Programs to Cut Deficit? Federal Report Probes Options

End Head Start, School Lunch Programs to Cut Deficit? Federal Report Probes Options

by | Dec 16, 2018 | Early Learning, Education Week, Financial Literacy, National, School Choice, school discipline, school funding, U.S. Department of Education

Education Week logoCapitol Hill’s budget arm says that among the many options federal lawmakers have for cutting the budget deficit, they could consider eliminating Head Start and federally supported school meal programs.

The Congressional Budget Office’s “Options for Reducing the Deficit: 2019 to 2028” is the latest in a series of reports the office releases to help lawmakers consider options for reducing the federal deficit, which in fiscal 2018 stood at $778 billion, or 3.8 percent of gross domestic product. There are a total of 121 possibilities the CBO lists for reducing the deficit, and there are a few programs listed that education policy advocates and observers might be interested in. The report also explores changes to Pell Grants and certain loan forgiveness programs available to teachers.

Keep in mind that this report from the CBO doesn’t require or place any burden on Congress to do anything—the office is just listing options for lawmakers to consider. Also: The CBO isn’t explicitly endorsing any of these options.

Child Nutrition Programs

Instead of the current funding and structure provided to school meal programs, the CBO outlines an approach familiar to many who deal with education policy and politics: block grants.

“This option would convert SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps] and the child nutrition programs to separate, smaller block grants to the states beginning in October 2019. The block grants would provide a set amount of funding to states each year, and states would be allowed to make significant changes to the structure of the programs,” the report states.

The budget analysts say this approach would reduce total spending on child nutrition programs by $88 billion, while savings for SNAP would be $160 million over the same time period. Spending on child nutrition programs like school lunch totaled $23 billion in fiscal 2018…

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Recruiting Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Recruiting Teachers of the Visually Impaired

by | Sep 28, 2018 | Americans with Disabilities Act, higher education, special needs, Texas, Texas Education Agency

Do you worry about being able to hire VI teachers? Do you have to search high and low to fill vacancies?  If so…

It’s the time of the year to recruit teachers of the visually impaired!  To address the shortage of VI teachers and the needs of a growing number of students with visual impairments, think about the opportunity to “Grow Your Own VI Teacher” .  The Texas Tech University on-line program is a great opportunity for teachers to get certification as a teacher of the visually impaired.  Funds are available through the Reach Across Texas Grant to assist with the cost of tuition.  The Texas Tech application deadline for Spring 2019 is November 1, 2018.  Once one university VI course is completed and the teacher is enrolled in another course, he/she is eligible to be the TVI of record with an emergency permit!  For information, see VI and O&M Preparation in Texas on the TSBVI website.

For information contact Debra Leff at Region 13 debra.leff@esc13.txed.net