These Programs Would See Funding Increases in the New Congressional Spending Deal

Martin Falbisoner, Wikimedia via Creative Commons

Congress hopes to inject a healthy dose of funding into several education programs under a spending deal introduced by congressional negotiators on Wednesday night.

The proposed increases feature a $3.9-billion jump in the U.S. Department of Education’s budget, including an additional $8.5 million for the Office for Civil Rights; a $175 expansion in the size of the maximum Pell Grant; a $107-million rise for the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant program; and a $140-million lift in the Federal Work-Study program.

Advocates for broad funding increases in the bill, including the slight rise in Pell awards, offered reserved cheers for the proposals. The Trump administration had proposed severe cuts in several of the programs that Congress wants to expand.

“This meaningful 3-percent increase will provide a one-time offset to cover what the grant’s automatic annual inflation adjustment would have provided were it not ending this year,” said James Kvaal, president of the Institute for College Access and Success, in a written statement. However, he added, “the maximum grant will continue to cover less than one-third of the cost of four-year public college, and its value will continue to fall further behind college costs in future years.”

Historically black colleges would see a 14-percent increase in federal dollars, and the bill would triple the money for campus child care.

“Despite enrolling roughly 300,000 students each year nationwide, HBCUs have faced significant funding challenges, with some even forced to close their doors,” said Sen. Doug Jones, Democrat of Alabama, who championed the injection of funding alongside Sen. Kamala Harris, Democrat of California. “These schools provide a path for so many first-generation college students, many of whom come from underserved backgrounds.”

Blocking Department Plans

The increases in funding were not the only provisions of the bill that turned heads.

Congressional negotiators also used the omnibus package as an opportunity to block several Education Department plans, including one by the education secretary, Betsy DeVos, that would shake up the department’s budget office.

“The secretary maintains that the department would better serve students and taxpayers if every policy area in the department gained a budget expert,” said Elizabeth Hill, a department spokeswoman, in a statement to The Chronicle. “As she has said before, policy should drive the budget, not the other way around.”

The package also would scrutinize the department’s plan to select a company to service the billions of dollars in student loans it issues. Last year the department ditched a proposal to select a single student-loan servicer.

“It’s unfortunate that Congress has decided to make it more difficult for Secretary DeVos to pursue innovative solutions to better serve student borrowers and taxpayers,” Hill said. “She remains committed to that goal and will work within the framework provided by Congress.”

Congress has until 11:59 p.m., Eastern time, on Friday to pass the legislation and thereby avoid another government shutdown.

Adam Harris is a breaking-news reporter. Follow him on Twitter @AdamHSays or email him at adam.harris@chronicle.com.