In the first week of April, the White House released its proposed FY27 budget, outlining top line goals, selected program increases, and proposed eliminations. The proposal marks the beginning of the FY27 appropriations process, which will move to Congress following the April recess.
“This proposal represents an early step in the budget process, but significant work remains as it moves through Congress. While it stops short of some of the deeper reductions that were anticipated, there are still serious concerns about the direction of key education priorities and the potential impact on programs that support students and schools,” said AFSA President Mark Cannizzaro.
“School leaders rely on consistent, targeted federal investments to meet the needs of diverse student populations, and any changes to those supports must be carefully considered. As we have in recent years, AFSA will work closely with Congress to ensure that essential programs continue to receive the attention and resources necessary to serve all students effectively,” said Cannizzaro.
At the highest level, the administration proposes a significant shift in federal spending priorities. The budget calls for a 44 percent increase in defense spending, totaling approximately $1.5 trillion, paired with a 10 percent reduction in non-defense programs.
The U.S. Department of Education would see a smaller reduction of 2.9 percent, or about $2.3 billion. Despite this overall reduction, the two largest K 12 programs are maintained:
- Title I would receive level funding
- Special education IDEA would receive a $539 million increase
The budget again proposes eliminating two major K 12 programs:
- Title III English Language Acquisition $890 million
- Migrant Education $428 million
As outlined in the Trump budget documents, the justification for eliminating Title III includes concerns about federal involvement in education, student performance outcomes, and the role of bilingual programming. The proposal states that the program “deemphasizes English primacy” and raises concerns about how funds have been used.
The proposal also includes a plan to consolidate 17 K 12 programs into a single block grant, referred to as a “MEGA grants program” and cutting overall spending for those programs by more than two-thirds. Key programs included in the consolidation are:
- Title II professional development ($2.19 billion)
- Title IV A student support, school safety and enrichment ($1.38 billion)
- Title IV B after school programs ($1.33 billion)
- Student mental health grants ($160 million)
A similar consolidation proposal was not adopted in the prior fiscal year.
The budget proposes eliminating the $70 million Teacher Quality Partnerships program. According to the proposal, the program has been targeted for elimination in prior budget cycles.
In addition, the budget would formalize the transfer of Career and Technical Education CTE programs, approximately $1.5 billion, to the Department of Labor, which has been administering the program under contract.
Early reactions from lawmakers suggest a potentially contentious appropriations process.
Congress is expected to begin work on FY27 appropriations upon returning from its April recess. This process will include hearings with agency leaders and further development of funding legislation.
AFSA is preparing to push back against the proposed budget cuts, particularly the consolidation and reduction of funding for professional development, student mental health, and school violence prevention programs.
These priorities will take center stage during AFSA’s April Capitol Hill Day, when members from across the nation will gather in Washington, D.C., to meet directly with members of Congress and their staff to advocate on these critical issues.
More information will be shared soon on how you can engage and weigh in with your representatives as they return to Washington and begin work on next year’s budget.
