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No Child Left Behind? The Funding Gap in ESEA and Other Federal Education Programs

From the National Education Association.

Visit the NEA Web site for more information.

Download the Full Report (PDF).

Download the State-by-State Report (PDF).

The current reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), raises high expectations for achievement and imposes stringent measures of accountability on students, teachers, and schools. Yet it fell short of full funding by more than $32 billion in 2003. Eight other federal education programs serving Americans from preschool age through adulthood had funding gaps totaling almost $49 billion for 2003. ESEA/NCLB received less than half of its full funding in 2003. Given current trends, it appears likely to remain drastically underfunded. That suggests the advisability of carefully reexamining the reauthorization now-while it is still relatively early in NCLB's 2002-2007 lifespan.

Through successive reauthorizations since 1965, ESEA has provided supplementary resources for students deprived of full educational opportunities by discrimination, poverty, or both. Making up 37 percent of Department of Education funding in 2003, ESEA programs provide for additional teachers and teacher aides, professional development, instructional materials, students' acquisition of the English language, after-school programs, and other services. The Act thus confirms the federal government's role as a partner of state and local governments in supporting public education for all students.

This study finds that the federal government is not providing the resources that the ESEA/NCLB legislation and other federal education laws stipulate to help students and schools achieve. Federal funding is crucial now, as state and local governments, already contributing more than 90 percent of total education funding, struggle with fiscal crises of their own. In addition, the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has raised achievement goals and accountability measures substantially. These measures require states to implement universal testing. They also impose federal sanctions on schools that do not meet stringent measures of adequate yearly progress (AYP). These sanctions begin with potentially disruptive shifting of students from school to school. They may ultimately lead to widespread "reconstitution" of schools, involving dismissal of a school's entire administration and staff.

The funding gaps in ESEA/NCLB and other federal education programs are daunting in magnitude:

• ESEA's Title I-A program had a funding gap of $16.5 billion in 2003. ESEA as a whole had a gap of more than $32.6 billion.
• Eight other federal education programs, including Head Start and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) had a funding gap of an additional $48.8 billion in 2003. The total 2003 funding gap was $81.4 billion. In all, the 2003 federal appropriations were only about 43 percent of the full funding level.
• Federal education funding for 2004 is not yet final. It is already clear, however, that Title I-A is likely to have a funding gap of about $28 billion. The funding trend is getting worse, not better.

To derive the summary numbers for full funding and the funding gaps, along with detailed calculations for ESEA/NCLB and other federal programs, the study used formulas written into the relevant legislation. Where the legislation did not contain formulas, the study used current or previous congressional authorizations. The calculations also adjusted for inflation and program changes. The study's methodology evaluates what it would cost to serve all those who are eligible for the programs-that is, to leave no child behind. It cuts through ambiguities in the laws (e.g., authorization levels that do not fulfill the law's own funding formulas, and lack of specific authorizations for ongoing, funded programs). The paper also clarifies different, and sometimes misleading, usages of "full funding" in the media and on Capitol Hill.

Providing a quality education for the coming generation of students is a challenge. This study does not argue, however, that the president or Congress should simply "throw money" at all federal education programs. It does suggest that the gap between present funding and full funding for ESEA/NCLB, for example, is far too large. Clearly the current reauthorization, now "celebrating" its second anniversary, requires swift and careful reconsideration and much more realistic alignment of resources and expectations. Partial funding coupled with full accountability is a recipe for failure. In contrast, full funding of the right programs and of appropriate testing and accountability measures provides a foundation for success.

Visit the NEA Web site for more information.

Download the Full Report (PDF).

Download the State-by-State Report (PDF).

Please note you will need Adobe Acrobat to download the State-by-State Report.

Cheney and Bush Mislead about Hussein/Zarqawi Connection

Vice President Cheney and President Bush have repeatedly claimed that al-Qaeda had a working relationship with Saddam Hussein which justified the invasion of Iraq. The key piece of evidence Cheney and President Bush have used to support this claim was that Hussein harbored Abu Musab al Zarqawi - a suspected associated of al-Qaeda. For example, on 6/21/04 Cheney said "Mr. Zarqawi, who is in Baghdad today, is an al Qaeda associate who took refuge in Baghdad, found sanctuary and safe harbor there before we ever launched into Iraq."¹ President Bush said on 6/15/04 "Zarqawi's the best evidence of a [Hussein] connection to al Qaeda affiliates and al Qaeda."² One problem: there is no evidence to support these claims.

Knight Ridder reports "a new CIA assessment undercuts the White House claim that Saddam Hussein maintained ties to al Qaeda, saying there is no conclusive evidence that the regime harbored terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi."³ According to a senior U.S. intelligence official "The evidence is that Saddam never gave Zarqawi anything."⁴ Ironically, the assessment was requested by Cheney.⁵

Sources:

1. "CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown," CNN, 06/21/04.
2. "Bush stands by al Qaeda, Saddam link," CNN, 6/15/04.
3. "Iraq-al Qaeda tie called unlikely," Miami Herald, 10/05/04.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.

http://www.getyourlearnon.org/2004/09/cheney_misleads.html

Displaying a brazen disregard for the facts, Vice President Cheney told an audience in Cincinnati Thursday that Iraq had "provided safe harbor and sanctuary...for Al Qaeda."[1] There is no evidence to support Cheney's claim. The 9/11 Commission - which spent months exhaustively studying the issue - concluded there was no "collaborative relationship" between Iraq and al-Qaeda.[2]

After the release of the report, Cheney claimed there was "overwhelming" evidence of a relationship between al-Qaeda and Iraq and that he had "probably" seen evidence that was not shared with the commission.[3] After investigating the matter, the 9/11 Commission found "it had access to the same information the vice president has seen regarding contacts between Al Qaeda and Iraq prior to the 9/11 attacks." The commission also reaffirmed its position that it had not discovered a "collaboration-cooperation between al-Qaeda and Iraq."[4]

Sources:
1. "Cheney Says Iraq Harbored Al Qaeda," Los Angeles Times, 9/10/04.
2. "Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed," Washington Post, 6/17/04.
3. "Cheney blasts media on al Qaeda-Iraq link," CNN, 6/18/04.
4. "9/11 Panel Upholds Iraq-al-Qaida Finding," ABC News, 7/7/004.

More on connection:

Thank you Kos

by kos
Tue Oct 5th, 2004 at 17:26:04 PST

9.13.2004.

On Thursday in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cheney described Saddam as a "man who provided safe harbor and sanctuary to terrorists for years" and who "provided safe harbor and sanctuary as well for al Qaeda."

In Wisconsin on Friday, he said the "al Qaeda organization had a relationship with the Iraqis."

Cheney is a liar.

More.

A CIA report has found no conclusive evidence that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein harbored Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, which the Bush administration asserted before the invasion of Iraq.

"There's no conclusive evidence the Saddam Hussein regime had harbored Zarqawi," a U.S. official said on Tuesday about the CIA findings.

Liar, liar, liar, liar.

And yet more:

MR. RUSSERT: The Washington Post asked the American people about Saddam Hussein, and this is what they said: 69 percent said he was involved in the September 11 attacks. Are you surprised by that?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: No. I think it’s not surprising that people make that connection.

MR. RUSSERT: But is there a connection?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: We don’t know. You and I talked about this two years. You and I talked about this two years ago. I can remember you asking me this question just a few days after the original attack. At the time I said no, we didn’t have any evidence of that. Subsequent to that, we’ve learned a couple of things. We learned more and more that there was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda that stretched back through most of the decade of the ’90s, that it involved training, for example, on BW and CW, that al-Qaeda sent personnel to Baghdad to get trained on the systems that are involved. The Iraqis providing bomb-making expertise and advice to the al-Qaeda organization.

LIAR!

The fact checkers are going to be all over Dick Cheney tomorrow, one lie after another.

From Rude Pundit:

If, at tonight's "debate", when Edwards is asked, "How do you believe your career as a trial lawyer affects your approach to government?", he doesn't answer, "What the fuck kind of question is that, Gwen? What the fuck are you implying? Holy fuck, have you even looked at the cases I've tried? Doesn't the press do any actual goddamn research on, say, Lexis-Nexis or even fuckin' Google? Or maybe my fuckin' book? My legal career was based on helping individuals dicked over by the very kind of corporate and government culture this evil motherfucker across this stupid ass table has fostered. And don't you fuckin' gimme that stroke victim smirk, Dick, or I'll come across and start shovin' aluminum tubes up your ass, all 60,000 of 'em, one anodized tube at a goddamn time. Then, with all those tubes up your ass, you can tell me, tell all of us, if they feel like centrifuge tubes or just plain ol' rocket tubes. And then I'll shove yellow cake uranium from Niger up your ass. Then I'll shove the bones and blood of over 1000 Americans up your ass. And the bodies of tens of thousands of Iraqis, right up the motherfuckin' asshole, Dick, right on up. We'll follow that up with Energy Task Force documents, reams of 'em, get it, Dick? Gettin' reamed with reams? Then I'll shove Halliburton up your ass. I'll shove Kellog, shove Brown, shove Root, right up into your dessicated colon. I'll shove no-bid contracts and deferred compensation in there until your sphincter is aching and bloody. That's right, Dick, it's all goin' up there. Bribes to Nigeria and business with Iran. We're packin' it in, bitch. And let's go back, Gwen, let's get old school on this man whose heart is so small it needs a machine to make it pump, this vile, depraved political attack dog, this insider who massages the system to the benefit of his bastard cronies like a Korean hooker at a Japanese spa. Let's shove South African apartheid up Dick's ass. Let's shove water pollution, air pollution and other environmental degradation up Cheney's ass. Let's shove the bodies of women who will die of botched abortions if he gets his way up Cheney's ass. Let's shove the Project for a New American Century up Cheney's ass, along with Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Perle, and all the motherfuckin' neocons, pack 'em in, into Cheney's ass, alongside draft deferments, Lynne, SDI, and more. And when Cheney's cryin', yellin' that it hurts, his ass hurts, when he's weepin' and wonderin', 'Why? Why are you shoving all this up my ass?' I'll say, 'Because you've been shovin' it all up our asses for years, you vicious, soulless bastard. Now, stay bent over, 'cause, trust me, there's tons more shovin' to do and then I'm gonna fuck you Deliverance style, you corporate pig, so start practicin' your squealin'.' Does that answer your question, Gwen?", then the debate will be worthless.

CHENEY AND BUSH MISLEAD ABOUT HUSSEIN/ZARQAWI CONNECTION

Vice President Cheney and President Bush have repeatedly
claimed that al-Qaeda had a working relationship with Saddam
Hussein which justified the invasion of Iraq. The key piece
of evidence Cheney and President Bush have used to support
this claim was that Hussein harbored Abu Musab al Zarqawi -
a suspected associated of al-Qaeda. For example, on 6/21/04
Cheney said "Mr.
Zarqawi, who is in Baghdad today, is an al Qaeda associate
who took refuge in Baghdad, found sanctuary and safe harbor
there before we ever launched into Iraq."[1] President Bush
said on 6/15/04 "Zarqawi's the best evidence of a [Hussein]
connection to al Qaeda affiliates and al Qaeda."[2] One
problem: there is no evidence to support these claims.

Knight Ridder reports "a new CIA assessment undercuts the
White House claim that Saddam Hussein maintained ties to al
Qaeda, saying there is no conclusive evidence that the
regime harbored terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi."[3] According
to a senior U.S. intelligence official "The evidence is that
Saddam never gave Zarqawi anything."[4] Ironically, the
assessment was requested by Cheney.[5]

Sources:

1. "CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown," CNN, 06/21/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=60800.
2. "Bush stands by al Qaeda, Saddam link," CNN, 6/15/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=60801.
3. "Iraq-al Qaeda tie called unlikely," Miami Herald,
10/05/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=60802.
4. Ibid,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=60802.
5. Ibid,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=60802.

Visit www.Misleader.org for more about Bush Administration
distortion.

What a difference a week makes. Last Thursday, John Kerry took the stage and scored a decisive victory against George Bush. The momentum has shifted -- in nearly every public poll taken since the debate, we now are leading or tied.

In a tight race, things change very quickly -- this is why it is so important that we are always ready to act.

Last Thursday in Miami, I saw firsthand how hard the Bush campaign tried to spin the debate. They were searching for any angle. Our campaign, with your help, made sure the truth got out.

Tonight, we are organizing another national post-debate, rapid-response effort. Media Corps can set the pace. After the debate is finished, I will send all of you an e-mail that highlights the key differences in the debate. It is important that you take this information and help us get our message out to America.

John Edwards will face Dick Cheney in the vice-presidential debate tonight in Cleveland. Cheney is a superb debater and he has the format and rules that he wanted. However, he has to try and defend a record of failure. Bush and Cheney may have a failed administration, but they have an experienced campaign that will try hard to spin the debate. I am here in Cleveland right now to make sure that doesn't happen, but again I need your help.

It's time to step up for John Edwards. Please check your e-mail as soon as the debate ends.

Thank you,

Joe Lockhart
Senior Advisor

It's frightening to contemplate, but before going to the polls next month, all Americans need to think about what just one more right-wing Justice on the Supreme Court will mean:

• George Bush being allowed to deny any citizen due process;
• Dick Cheney running a secret government accountable to no one; and,
• John Ashcroft grabbing more unchecked, unconstitutional powers.
  

As many of you may know, People For the American Way has been going all-out throughout this campaign season to avert those disasters by educating and activating progressive voters and activists nationwide.

And thanks to your help, we have made the Supreme Court a high priority issue for millions of Americans.

But our work is far from done.

Indeed, the next 30 days will be make-or-break time for this vital People For the American Way initiative.

So, I am counting on you to keep up the good work as Election Day nears - talk to your family, friends and neighbors about the vital role they can play in deciding who will appoint and approve nominees to the highest court in the land.

And I am calling on you to help People For the American Way do the same by rushing an especially generous contribution in support of all our work.

We have just a few weeks to prevent a complete right-wing takeover of the Supreme Court. With your help, People For the American Way activists, grassroots organizers and volunteers across the country will continue reaching out to voters until the last polling place closes and the rights of all Americans are protected from right-wing judges like Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

No matter what voters think about specific issues, it's important that all recognize the critical significance of this election in determining and preserving the rights of all Americans.

We must make more of our fellow Americans aware of a fact you understand so well: It will take just one or two more Supreme Court Justices who share the views of Scalia and Thomas to start overturning more than 100 Court precedents dating back to the New Deal.

From the right to privacy that serves as the foundation of Roe v. Wade and every American's reproductive freedom, to the separation of church and state that keeps government out of religion (and vice-versa!), protection against discrimination in the workplace, courtrooms and voting booths, and bedrock environmental laws ...

... we could lose it all if anticipated Supreme Court vacancies are filled with far right ideologues.

That's the message we are bringing to voters nationwide through People For the American Way advertising campaigns ... outreach to reporters and newspaper editorial boards ... high-profile public events and rallies ... partnerships with other progressive organizations ... college campus mobilizations ... and online public education efforts at www.pfaw.org.

As you can imagine, sustaining all these efforts has put an enormous strain on our budget. And we will need to invest at least another $450,000 over the next 30 days to keep our momentum rolling all the way to Election Day.

That's why I urge you to support People For the American Way today.

In many states, voters are already having their say on the future of constitutional rights through mail-in and absentee ballots. But the vast majority of Americans won't vote until Election Day.

That makes right now our moment - our opportunity to stand up for everything we care about, all we believe in, and the American Way.

Please take your stand by supporting People For the American Way today.

Thank you,
Ralph G. Neas
President