Subject:
Supporting the President's 2023 Education Budget Proposal
Message:
Dear Member of Congress,
As your constituent and someone who cares deeply about public education, I urge you to support the President's recently released 2023 fiscal year federal budget for the Department of Education (DOE) and programs that will help the local schools in our communities.
Overall, the President's budget proposal invests in mental health services for students and educators; invests in community schools; increases school safety; increases support for children with disabilities through IDEA; invests in educator recruitment and retention; and supports career pathways.
I urge you to take all steps necessary to ensure that the federal government provides all students, regardless of their zip code, with free breakfast and lunch, while updating reimbursements to local school districts and increasing rates to allow for the procurement of locally sourced food to support local farmers and producers.
The President's budget includes $1 billion in new investment to increase the number of counselors, nurses, school psychologists, social workers and other health professionals in schools to help address students' social, emotional and mental health.
The proposal also includes a $468 million investment in community schools and partnerships to provide integrated student supports, which help to create vibrant and conducive learning environments.
The President's proposal calls for $129 million for School Safety National Activities, providing approximately $24.7 million for new awards under Project Prevent, which provides grants to school districts to help break the cycle of violence in communities with pervasive violence, and $2 million for a new National Clearinghouse on School Infrastructure and Sustainability.
For special education students and educators, the President's budget proposal provides $16.3 billion for IDEA grants to support special education and related services for approximately 7.4 million students in grades Pre-K through 12. The proposal doubles funding, to $932 million, for IDEA Part C grants, which support early intervention services for infants and families with disabilities. This program has a proven record of improving academic and developmental outcomes for children and young students. The proposal also provides $250 million for IDEA Personnel Preparation grants to support a pipeline of special educators at a time when most states, including New York, are experiencing a shortage of special education teachers.
The proposal includes an appropriation of $514 million for the Education Innovation and Research program, of which the DOE would direct $350 million towards identifying and scaling models that improve recruitment and retention of staff in education, including models that would improve resources and support for educators, and provide teacher access to leadership opportunities that improve teacher retention and expand the impact of great teachers within and beyond their classrooms.
Finally, the President's fiscal year 2023 budget proposal calls for $45 million for summer EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) and $35 million in school meal equipment grants to assist with child nutrition. I firmly believe that the federal government should also provide free breakfast and lunch to every student, while updating reimbursements to local school districts for school meals and increasing rates to allow for the procurement of local food to support local farmers and producers.
Thank you for your consideration of these important matters and I ask that you stress the importance of these programs with your leadership. I look forward to a reply to my e-mail.
Sincerely,
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