On March 9, 2011 the House Republicans’ FY 2011 budget proposal that included a $5 billion cut in education funding failed to pass in the Senate. A proposal by Senate Democrats also failed to pass, keeping the budget and education funding in a state of uncertainty. The stop-gap budget bill signed by the President on March 2nd authorized government spending through March 18th, avoiding a shut-down of the federal government. However, the bill made significant cuts in funding to Department of Education programs, including elimination of several literacy programs, namely, Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy, Even Start Family Literacy, Reading is Fundamental and the National Writing Project. Technically, the cuts are only in effect through March 18th; however, Education Week reported on March 4th that funding for the programs is not likely to be restored when the final FY 2011 budget is approved. The Obama administration remains firm in its commitment to continue to significantly invest in education in 2011, as reflected in March 8th speeches made by the President while visiting TechBoston Academy in Boston (see PCG News Notes above) and March 9th testimony by Education Secretary Arne Duncan before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
About Patsy Crawford
Patsy Crawford, Director of Legal Services, PCG Education, has over 30 years of legal experience and is responsible for providing legal and regulatory compliance support to the PCG Education management team. Since joining the firm in 1997, Patsy has worked closely with school district administrators and PCG Education managers and consultants to coordinate with state and federal Medicaid agencies to protect and improve billing programs for school districts. She has provided direct legal support to PCG Education projects in multiple states across the country.
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