To: AASCU Presidents and Chancellors
From: Ed Elmendorf, Sr. Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Analysis
Robert Moran, Director of Federal Relations and Policy Analysis
Blakely Whilden, Program Manager for Federal Relations and Policy Analysis
Re: Teacher Education Provisions in President Obama’s FY11 Budget
Date: February 4, 2010
ACTION ALERT
As you know, President Obama released his fiscal year 2011 proposed budget on Monday, February 1 (please see AASCU’s advisory for more details). This budget calls for a 7.5 percent increase in discretionary education spending. As part of his budget, President Obama proposes a major restructuring of university based teacher preparation programs.
Currently, Teacher Quality Partnership grants (TQP) are funded through Title II of the Higher Education Act (HEA). Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to institutions of higher education in partnership with local education agencies to strengthen teacher preparation and improve student achievement. This program was authorized in the 2008 reauthorization of HEA, and is currently funded at $43 million. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided an additional one-time $100 million for the program, and awards were made to 28 institutions of higher education, including 13 AASCU member institutions, in September 2009.
Several teacher related programs are authorized in both HEA and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The President proposes to consolidate all teacher education programs into three funding streams under ESEA:
- Effective Teachers and Leaders State Grants ($2.5 billion allocated by formula);
- Teacher and Leader Innovation Fund ($950 million allocated through competitive awards); and
- Teacher and Leader Pathways ($405 million allocated through competitive awards).
The President’s proposed budget eliminates the TQP program under HEA Title II, and moves the authority of this program to Title II of ESEA under Teacher and Leader Pathways. The program would be consolidated with five other programs, including Transition to Teaching and Teach for America. Further, funds allocated through the Teacher and Leader Pathway funding stream would be awarded to local education agencies (LEAs), not institutions of higher education. Fortunately, the administration will protect current TQP grantees and requested that continuing funds for TQP come from the Effective Teachers and Leaders State Grants formula funding stream.
Under current law, ESEA Title II has a 2.5 percent set-aside for institutions of higher education under the Improving Teacher Quality State Grant program. These funds, amounting to $72.5 million, are eliminated under the President’s proposed budget. In short, the President’s proposed budget does not allocate any funds for teacher education directly to institutions of higher education.
As an association that is committed to both innovation in teacher education and producing an effective teaching workforce, AASCU is very concerned with the President’s proposal. We oppose the elimination/consolidation of the Teacher Quality Partnership Grants in HEA and the elimination of the 2.5% set-aside for higher education in Title II of ESEA in the FY 2011 budget.
Please indicate to your Members of Congress that university based teacher education programs must be protected by ensuring a dedicated funding stream for institutions of higher education in any reform effort. The attached talking points may be of further assistance.
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