NSTA Legislative Update: August 8, 2011
8/8/2011 - Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
How Will the Debt Ceiling Deal Affect K–12 Education?
As widely reported, Congress finally approved a last-minute deal to raise the debt ceiling last week, which will reduce federal spending by $7 billion in fiscal year 2012 and create a new 12-member “Super Commission” charged with cutting $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending over the next 10 years. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), ranking Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, told the Associated Press that “discretionary spending cuts imposed by the deal would make life much more difficult for public schools.” Other pundits predict the Department of Education may see reductions of more than 6%.
Read more on early predictions about education funding will factor into the Commission’s deficit-reduction plans: