Sequestration & Education (@Lack of Design Thinking)

VIEW MOBILE/WEB VERSION HERE   |  March 5, 2013

MARCH 5, 2013 Schools Brace for Deep Cuts Washington, D.C., leaders were unable to avert sequestration by the March 1 deadline, which means federal education funding will be slashed by approximately $2.3 billion. So, what’s next? The Obama administration is determining the exact reductions to each federal education program, from Title I to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Most of the automatic cuts will go into effect next school year, which means that districts now have to decide which cost-saving measures they will use to offset the cuts, from reducing school staff to eliminating services or shortening the school day. For its part, Congress has the authority to overturn the automatic cuts at any point. Most observers, however, believe that Congress won’t act on sequestration until the public directly experiences the results of the cuts (e.g., flight delays, closed national parks) over the next few months. Meanwhile, the Obama administration and some key congressional leaders have indicated a desire to reverse the cuts in the coming months as part of a broader discussion about continued deficit reduction. ASCD will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated about what sequestration means for you, your districts, and your schools. We will also inform you about ongoing opportunities to communicate with your members of Congress about how their inaction is affecting your on-the-ground work to prepare students for college, career, and citizenship success. We want to thank those of you who told your members of Congress to stop sequestration. Together, you sent thousands of messages to your federal lawmakers that detailed the devastating consequences of the automatic cuts.