Congress finally finished its federal education spending bills and early learning didn’t lose much ground, though some major programs didn’t gain a lot either, according to a new analysis from The Early Ed Watch Blog.
The fact that child care block grants and special education help for preschoolers essentially kept pace with last year isn’t necessarily bad news, since early learning funding received a healthy bump, worth billions of dollars, in the economic stimulus package. Check out Early Ed Watch’s excellent analysis for details and a funding chart.
The appropriations decisions are the latest twists in what has been a wild year for early education funding – a big infusion in federal stimulus dollars, state policymakers fighting to preserve programs and now another round of state budget battles are looming.
What do you think about the state of early ed funding in this economic climate? How are the federal and state governments doing? Give a grade. Post a comment and tell us what you think and where these funding debates are headed.
News and Notes: