Summary
Three different plans for the federal education budget have been proposed by the White House, House Republicans, and the Senate for fiscal year 2026. The proposals suggest varying levels of cuts to school funding, with significant reductions in support for low-income and disadvantaged students. The White House and House Republican plans propose more severe cuts than the Senate's plan, which aims to mostly keep funding levels stable.
Key Facts
- The White House plan suggests a 15% cut to the U.S. Department of Education's budget.
- It proposes eliminating $1.3 billion in funding for English language learners and migrant students.
- House Republicans' plan would cut $4.7 billion from Title I funding, which supports low-income schools.
- The Senate's plan suggests minor cuts, maintaining most of the current funding.
- Federal funding accounts for about 11% of overall school budgets.
- Cuts could impact high-poverty school districts more severely.
- The New America think tank found that Democratic-led districts could lose more funding than Republican-led districts under these proposals.
