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December 12, 2005

The demise of EETT funding?

In November, as BoardBuzz reported, the House rejected the fiscal year 2006 spending bill, H.R. 3010, by a vote of 224-209. This was good news, albeit temporary, for education because of the cuts the proposal contained.

For one, the bill would have imposed a drastic, 45 percent cut in funding to Enhancing Education Through Technology grants (aka EETT or E2T2, as some ed techies call it) from $496 million to $275 million. NSBA has lobbied against funding cuts to EETT, along with other education groups, since February when the President proposed eliminating program funding as part of his 2006 budget proposal. Though funding for the program is partially restored at $300 million through December 17, a House—Senate conference committee is scheduled to renegotiate H.R. 3010 to provide more funding for education and other discretionary programs. A vote on that measure is expected this week.

Also, based on recent proposals to impose roughly a 2 percent across-the-board cut to federal programs as an offset to hurricane relief funding, EETT could be affected even more before Congress adjourns this year. NSBA is urging Congress to reject cuts in spending to education programs that are already underfunded, and are key to student achievement, special education, and NCLB compliance. EETT is the largest single source of federal funding for instructional technologies.

But the Bush administration doesn't see it quite that way. According to Ed Daily, ed department folks believe that "many schools have invested in technology infrastructure over the past several years and no longer need a technology grant program." Besides, they say, schools can use Title I funds for technology, which they report, has increased by 45 percent since NCLB became law. School district costs for upgrading technology, maintaining Internet access and telecommunications services, as well as software licenses are always ongoing.

Want to learn more about what's happening in your state with ed tech funding? Here's how.

Posted December 12, 2005 3:56 PM | Education Technology

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