The President's 2014 Budget Proposal for Education: Early Learning Is a Key Investment


Last Updated: April 10, 2013
 

The 2014 budget proposal reflects the belief that education is a vital investment in the nation’s economic competitiveness, in its people, and in its communities. A cornerstone of the investment in education will be to expand high-quality early learning opportunities to all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families. To learn more about this initiative, you may want to visit: Preschool for All. This early-learning initiative is in line with the Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission report’s recommendation to ensure universal access to high-quality early learning programs with an academic focus, to narrow the disparities in readiness when kids reach kindergarten. Read the report here: For Each And Every Child. Plans to expand access to preschool and child care were also presented in February 2013 by the Center for American Progress here: Investing in Our Children

The administration’s request for $71 billion in discretionary appropriations represents an increase of more than 4 percent over the previous year. Nearly three-quarters of that funding goes to financial aid for students in college, special education, and aid to schools with high numbers of children in poverty (Title I). The remaining 28 percent of the budget invests in making preschool accessible for all students; funding a set of strategic reforms at the K-12 level; ensuring that college is affordable; and coordinating services that help students living in poverty.

For an overview of the 2014 budget proposal for education, please go to: The President’s 2014 Budget Proposal for Education

For a more detailed education budget summary, you may visit: FY2014 Education Budget Summary and Background Information

For information on how the 2014 budget will affect rural schools and communities, please go to: Supporting Rural Education

For an index of the 2014 budget’s impact on other Department of Education programs and activities, visit: 2014 Education Budget Proposal Overview and Cross-Cutting Issues

For commentary on the proposed 2014 budget's impact on rural schools, visit: Budget-Comes-Up-Short-For-Rural-Schools