Obama Administration Annouces Program Consolidations and Eliminations

Today, the Washington Post reports that the Obama Administration will request an additional $4 billion in funding for the Department of Education in fiscal year 2011. The increase will include an additional $1.35 billion for Race to the Top – a new competitive grant program for states, and $1 billion for the overhaul of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This would bring the 2011 Department of Education budget up to $67.72 billion from $63.72 billion in 2010. Given the previous announcement that the administration will seek a spending freeze on all domestic programs, this suggests that the Department of Education will come out a winner in the upcoming budget process while other agencies may loose funding.

But the article also reveals that the president’s budget request will propose the consolidation of 38 smaller Department of Education programs into 11 larger programs and the elimination of 6 additional programs. It does not clarify, however, whether this consolidation will include lower overall spending levels for the 11 programs.

At Ed Money Watch, we have our money on consolidations in high school intervention programs like TRIO and GEAR UP and various special interest education programs like the Historic Whaling and Trading Partners, Excellence in Economic Education, and Thurgood Marshall Legal Opportunity programs. Check out our handy table of previously proposed program eliminations here.

Any other suggestions for program consolidations or eliminations? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Ed Money Watch will continue to follow the President’s budget request process. Check back for more coverage in the coming weeks.