Order Code RL33058
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
K-12 Education Programs: Recent Appropriations
Updated June 2, 2006
Paul M. Irwin
Specialist in Social Legislation
Domestic Social Policy Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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K-12 Education Programs: Recent Appropriations
Summary
On February 6, 2006, the President submitted the FY2007 budget request to the
Congress; the request included $36.9 billion for K-12 education programs. This
amount represents a decrease of $1.6 billion from the FY2006 amount of $38.5
billion, and a decrease of $1.3 billion compared to the FY2005 amount of $38.1
billion. The FY2007 request is $9.0 billion more than the K-12 appropriation for
FY2001 of $27.9 billion — the last fiscal year before the enactment of No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA).
Questions continue to be asked about funding for the K-12 education programs,
including the total amount of elementary and secondary funding, recent increases and
decreases, and the major components counted in the K-12 total. K-12 education
components traditionally include all the programs authorized by the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by NCLBA; special
education programs authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA); the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998; the
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA); and a small number of other
programs. For ESEA and IDEA programs, possible issues extend to how much was
“promised,” how much was provided, and the resulting “shortfall.”
Compared to FY2006 funding levels, the FY2007 budget request would reduce
overall federal funding for K-12 education programs. Funding for ESEA and IDEA
programs would be increased; funding for adult education would remain the same.
Similar to recent budget requests, the FY2007 request would eliminate funding for
vocational education to support high school reform initiatives. Funding for K-12
education programs in FY2006 was determined by a combination of (1) funding from
the P.L. 109-149 (H.R. 3010, H.Rept. 109-337); (2) a reduction of 1% in
discretionary funds required by P.L. 109-148, the Department of Defense, Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and
Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006; and (3) a supplemental $1.4 billion provided by P.L.
109-148 for emergency K-12 programs for recovery from the 2005 Gulf Coast
hurricanes.
The FY2007 budget request does not include additional K-12 education funds
in response to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes. If the $1.4 billion provided for
hurricane recovery were excluded from the K-12 total, the adjusted FY2006 funding
would be $37.1 billion, compared to the FY2007 request of $36.9 billion.
This report will be updated as appropriations are enacted. This report replaces
CRS Report RS21947, K-12 Education Programs: Appropriations Summary.

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Contents
Action on FY2007 K-12 Education Appropriations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
K-12 Education Authorizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
NCLBA and ESEA Funding Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Total K-12 Education Appropriations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Appropriations for K-12 Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Appropriations for Major ESEA Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ESEA Funding Shortfall? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
IDEA Authorizations and Appropriations
for Part B Grants to States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IDEA Funding Shortfall? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
List of Tables
Table 1. Proposed Appropriations for K-12 Education, FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Table 2. Total K-12 Education Appropriations, FY2000-FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Table 3. Appropriations for K-12 Components, FY2001-FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Table 4. Appropriations for Major ESEA Programs, FY2001-FY2007 . . . . . . . . 5
Table 5. ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations, FY2002-FY2007 . . . . . . . . 7
Table 6. IDEA Authorizations and Appropriations
for Part B Grants to States, FY2005-FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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K-12 Education Programs:
Recent Appropriations
This report examines federal appropriations for K-12 education. It begins with
the status of FY2007 appropriations; the President submitted a budget request to
Congress in February 2006. The report discusses which programs are considered to
be included in K-12 education and the relationship between the No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001 (NCLBA), P.L. 107-110, enacted January 8, 2002, and the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The President’s annual requests are
compared with the final appropriations for K-12 programs since FY2000. Funding
levels for major components of K-12 education and major ESEA programs are shown
since FY2001. Authorization levels specified for ESEA programs are compared with
annual appropriations since FY2002; authorization levels are compared with
appropriations since FY2005 for the Part B Grants for States program of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The ESEA and IDEA funding
comparisons form a part of a continuing issue of whether there is a funding shortfall
in these areas of K-12 education.
Action on FY2007 K-12 Education Appropriations
Table 1 shows the President’s request for FY2007 appropriations for K-12
education programs, which was submitted to Congress on February 6, 2006. For the
purpose of comparison, the table shows K-12 funding to date for FY2006, and
FY2005 appropriations as well. FY2006 appropriations were enacted primarily
through P.L. 109-149 (H.R. 3010, H.Rept. 109-337), which was signed into law on
December 30, 2005. FY2006 discretionary amounts were subject to a 1% reduction
required by Section 3801, Division B, P.L. 109-148 (H.R. 2863), the Department of
Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf
of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006. All FY2006 funding amounts
discussed in this report reflect this 1% reduction.
The President’s FY2007 K-12 request of $36.9 billion would reduce funding,
compared to the FY2006 total, by nearly $1.6 billion, as shown in Table 1.
Aggregate funding for the programs authorized by ESEA, as amended by NCLBA,
would be increased under the request by $67 million; funding for special education
would be increased by $45 million; and funding for some of the major ESEA
programs and adult education would be held constant. Funding for the $1.3 billion
vocational education program would be replaced by a $1.5 billion high school reform
initiative, and no funds are requested for the $1.4 billion emergency programs for
recovery from the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes. If the $1.4 billion recovery programs
are excluded from the FY2006 total, the FY2007 budget request represents a
reduction of $0.2 billion, instead of a reduction of $1.6 billion when such programs
are included in the FY2006 total.

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CRS-2
According to the February 6, 2006 table of the Department of Education (ED)
Budget Service, the last time federal K-12 funding decreased from one year to the
next was from FY1995 to FY1996. Aggregate K-12 funding in FY1995 was $14.6
billion; the FY1996 amount was $14.4 billion. For Title I Grants to LEAs, special
education, and vocational and adult education programs, annual funding was last
reduced in FY2006. Both vocational and adult education were also reduced in
FY2005. However, the last reduction prior to FY2006 for special education was in
FY1996, and for Title I, Grants to LEAs, FY1993.
Table 1. Proposed Appropriations for K-12 Education, FY2007
(dollars in millions)
FY2005
FY2006
FY2007
Program
final
enacted
request
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
$24,352
$23,333
$24,400
(ESEA) total
Title I, Part A Grants to Local
12,740
12,713
12,713
Educational Agencies (LEA)
21st Century Community Learning
991
981
981
Centers (21CCLC)
Education Block Grant
198
99
99
School Choice
27
26
26
Fund for the Improvement of Education
675
513
1,752
(FIE) (a)
Special education
11,674
11,663
11,708
Part B Grants to States
10,590
10,583
10,683
Vocational education
1,326
1,296
0
Adult education
585
580
580
2005 Gulf Coast hurricane recovery
0
1,400
0
All other K-12 programs
183
179
177
Total K-12 funding
$38,120
$38,451
$36,865
Source: Data are compiled from the Department of Education (ED) Budget Service table of Mar. 21,
2006. The FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-148, as well as a
supplemental $1.4 billion for K-12 programs appropriated in response to the 2005 Gulf Coast
hurricanes. For legislative action and background on FY2006 appropriations, please see CRS Report
RL32952, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education: FY2006 Appropriations, by Paul M.
Irwin.
a. The FY2007 budget request would increase funds for FIE to a total of more than $1.75 billion,
consisting of regular FIE funding of $138 million and five FIE initiatives proposed by the
President that total more than $1.6 billion, including $1.475 billion for a High School Reform
initiative with a focus on expanding the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA) provisions
at the high school level.

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CRS-3
K-12 Education Authorizations
K-12 education programs traditionally include the programs authorized under
four acts:
! Programs authorized by ESEA, as amended by NCLBA;
! Special education programs authorized by IDEA;
! Vocational education programs authorized by Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998; and
! Adult education programs authorized by the Adult Education and
Family Literacy Act (AEFLA).1
A few K-12 education programs are authorized by other statutes, such as the
Homeless Children and Youth Education program under Title VII of the McKinney-
Vento Homeless Assistance Act. ED administers all of these programs.
NCLBA and ESEA Funding Provisions. Questions are regularly asked
regarding the amount of funding provided by the NCLBA. The NCLBA itself does
not authorize or fund any program. Rather, the NCLBA amended and extended
other education laws, primarily ESEA. Annual funding for ESEA programs is easily
tracked in the appropriations process. Funding for some non-ESEA programs
amended by NCLBA, however, is not available on a comparable basis. In particular,
some non-ESEA programs are Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) programs operated by
the Department of the Interior (DOI), where discretionary funding levels for some
activities that were amended by NCLBA can be determined only following the close
of the fiscal year. Because the ESEA accounted for 99% of the FY2002
appropriations for programs amended by NCLBA, this report tracks the annual
ESEA appropriations total as the best proxy of the annual total funding for NCLBA.
Total K-12 Education Appropriations
Table 2 shows the annual, aggregate funding for K-12 education programs since
FY2000, as well as the President’s budget request for each of those years. Prior to
FY2006, both the budget request and the appropriations enacted increased annually.
However, both the FY2006 request and FY2007 request were for decreased funding,
both in comparison with the request for the relevant previous year and with respect
to the appropriations for the relevant previous year.
1 Adult education traditionally has been included as part of K-12 education, presumably
because the educational services are similar to those provided in regular elementary and
secondary education programs. In FY2006, the Department of Education (ED) began to
classify adult education funding in an “other education” category. However, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) continues to maintain such funding in the elementary and
secondary education category. This report follows OMB practice — and previous ED
practice — that includes adult education funds in the K-12 category. Totals for K-12
education funding in this report therefore differ from current ED totals, which now exclude
such funding.

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CRS-4
Table 2. Total K-12 Education Appropriations, FY2000-FY2007
(dollars in billions)
Fiscal year
President’s request
Appropriation
2000
$22.3
$23.1
2001
26.4
27.9
2002
29.3
32.7
2003
33.7
35.7
2004
34.9
37.5
2005
38.7
38.1
2006
37.9
38.5
2007
36.9
—
Source: Department of Education Budget Service table of Feb. 6, 2006, except that adult education
is included as part of K-12 funding. The FY2006 appropriation reflects the 1% reduction required by
P.L. 109-148, as well as a supplemental $1.4 billion for K-12 programs appropriated in response to
the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Appropriations for K-12 Components
Table 3 shows the funding for major components of K-12 education since
FY2001, the last year prior to the NCLBA amendments to ESEA.
Table 3. Appropriations for K-12 Components, FY2001-FY2007
(dollars in millions)
Appropriations
FY2007
Major component FY2001 FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 request
ESEA programs
$18,442 $21,954 $23,610 $24,275 $24,352 $23,333 $24,400
Special education
7,440
8,673
9,957
11,161
11,674
11,663
11,708
Vocational
1,243
1,321
1,326
1,328
1,326
1,296
0
education
Adult education
561
591
587
590
585
580
580
Other K-12
197
158
244
184
183
1,579
177
programs
Total K-12 $27,883 $32,697 $35,724 $37,538 $38,120 $38,451 $36,865
funding
Source: ED Budget Service tables: for FY2001, Jan. 3, 2002; for FY2002, Feb. 20, 2003; for
FY2003, Aug. 27, 2004; for FY2004, Dec. 9, 2004; for FY2005 and FY2006 and the FY2007 request,
Feb. 6, 2006. The FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-148, as well
as a supplemental $1.4 billion for K-12 programs appropriated in response to the 2005 Gulf Coast
hurricanes.

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CRS-5
Table 3 shows that ESEA programs receive the majority of K-12 education
funds. For example, ESEA programs were funded at $23.3 billion in FY2006, or
63% of the total K-12 appropriation of $38.5 billion. Significant FY2006 amounts
were appropriated for non-ESEA programs in FY2006 as well, such as $11.7 billion
for special education programs authorized under IDEA. Additional funds were
appropriated for vocational and adult education programs. Other K-12 programs
receiving funds included the Education for Homeless Children and Youth and
emergency programs for recovery from the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
From FY2001 to FY2005, appropriations increased for each year shown for
ESEA, special education, and K-12 funding in the aggregate. Compared to FY2005
funding levels, the FY2006 K-12 appropriation increased by $331 million, primarily
because of hurricane recovery funds; however, funding for ESEA and special
education was reduced. The FY2007 budget request would increase funding for
ESEA and special education, but reduce the K-12 total by $1.6 billion; the FY2007
total would be reduced by $0.2 billion if emergency hurricane funding were excluded
from the FY2006 total.
Appropriations for Major ESEA Programs
Table 4 shows the appropriations for 12 of the ESEA programs with the highest
funding levels since FY2001.
Table 4. Appropriations for
Major ESEA Programs, FY2001-FY2007
(dollars in millions)
Appropriations
FY2007
Major component FY2001 FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 request
Title I, Part A
$8,763 $10,350 $11,689 $12,342 $12,740 $12,713 $12,713
Grants to LEAs
Reading First State
—
900
994
1,024
1,042
1,029
1,029
Grants
Impact Aid
993
1,144
1,188
1,230
1,244
1,228
1,228
Teacher Quality
—
2,850
2,931
2,930
2,917
2,887
2,887
State Grants
Education
Technology State
—
701
696
692
496
272
0
Grants
21st Century
Community
846
1,000
994
999
991
981
981
Learning Centers
(21CCLC)
Innovative
Programs State
385
385
382
297
198
99
99
Grants (Education
Block Grant)

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CRS-6
Appropriations
FY2007
Major component FY2001 FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 request
State Assessments
—
387
384
390
412
408
408
Rural Education
—
163
168
168
171
169
169
Fund for the
Improvement of
717
833
810
770
675
513
1,752
Education (FIE)
Safe and Drug-Free
Schools State
439
472
469
441
437
347
0
Grants
English Language
296
664
684
681
676
669
669
Acquisition
All other ESEA
6,003
2,105
2,221
2,311
2,353
2,018
2,465
programs
ESEA total $18,442 $21,954 $23,610 $24,275 $24,352 $23,333 $24,400
Source: ED Budget Service tables — for FY2001, Jan. 3, 2002; for FY2002, Feb. 20, 2003; for
FY2003, Aug. 27, 2004; for FY2004, Dec. 9, 2004; and for FY2005 and FY2006 and the FY2007
request, Mar. 21, 2006. The FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-
148. LEAs = Local Educational Agencies.
As shown in Table 4, more than 54% of all FY2006 ESEA appropriations were
allotted to the $12.7 billion Title I, Part A Grants to Local Educational Agencies
(LEAs) program for the education of disadvantaged children. Also in FY2006,
Reading First State Grants, Impact Aid, and Teacher Quality State Grants were each
funded at more than $1 billion; the 21st Century Community Learning Centers
(21CCLC) program was funded at just under $1 billion. Most programs shown in
this table require appropriated funds to be distributed by formula. Most of the
remaining ESEA programs — shown as “Other ESEA programs” in the table —
require the distribution of funds by discretionary grants through competition among
eligible applicants. A few ESEA programs specify the distribution of funds to a
single recipient. Compared to FY2005 funding levels, FY2006 appropriations were
reduced for each of the 12 ESEA components shown in the table, as well as the
ESEA total. Under the FY2007 request, funds would be eliminated for Education
Technology State Grants and Safe and Drug-Free Schools State Grants. FY2007
funds would be increased for activities authorized by the Fund for the Improvement
of Education (FIE) and for the “Other ESEA programs,” resulting in an overall
increase in the ESEA total.
ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations
Table 5 shows the annual funding amounts authorized, requested, and
appropriated for those programs with specified authorizations of appropriations under
ESEA, as amended by NCLBA. All together, the ESEA includes provisions for 45
program authorizations for the six-year period FY2002-FY2007, as follows.

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CRS-7
! Five of the 45 ESEA programs have specific amounts authorized to
be appropriated for all six fiscal years; these programs are
highlighted in Table 5.
! Another 24 programs have specific amounts authorized only for
FY2002; funding for these programs is given in aggregate only in the
FY2002 segment of Table 5. For FY2003 through FY2007, such
sums as may be necessary are authorized for these programs.
! The remaining 16 ESEA programs have no specific amount
authorized; that is, such sums as may be necessary are authorized for
each program for each year during the period FY2002 through
FY2007. Table 5 does not include funding information for any of
these remaining programs.
Many recent authorizations of education programs have not specified exact
authorization levels, especially for the years following the first year of authorization
or reauthorization. Instead, such sums as may be necessary are authorized to be
appropriated. Authorization provisions for each of the 45 ESEA programs are listed
in CRS Report RL31244, K-12 Education Funding: Authorizations and
Appropriations for FY2002, by Paul M. Irwin.
Table 5. ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations,
FY2002-FY2007
(dollars in millions)
FY2002 Programs, with
Difference:
ESEA Section Reference
Authorization Request Appropriation App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to
$13,500
$9,061
$10,350
-$3,150
LEAs, §1002
21st Century Community
Learning Centers (21CCLC),
1,250
846
1,000
-250
§4206
Innovative Education
Programs (Education Block
450
472
385
-65
Grant), §5146
Voluntary Public School
Choice (School Choice),
100
0
25
-75
§5248
Fund for the Improvement of
550
25
833
+283
Education (FIE), §5401
Five program subtotal
$15,850
$10,404
$12,593
-$3,257
24 other specified programs
10,497
6,977
7,410
-3,087
FY2002 specified total
$26,347
$17,381
$20,003
-$6,344

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CRS-8
Difference:
FY2003 Programs
Authorization Request Appropriation App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to
$16,000
$11,353
$11,689
-$4,311
LEAs
21CCLC
1,500
1,000
994
-506
Education Block Grant
475
385
382
-93
School Choice
100
25
26
-74
FIE
575
134
810
+235
FY2003 specified total
$18,650
$12,897
$13,901
-$4,749
Difference:
FY2004 Programs
Authorization Request Appropriation App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to
$18,500
$12,350
$12,342
-$6,158
LEAs
21CCLC
1,750
600
999
-751
Education Block Grant
500
385
297
-203
School Choice
100
25
27
-73
FIE
600
169
770
+170
FY2004 specified total
$21,450
$13,529
$14,435
-$7,015
Difference:
FY2005 Programs
Authorization Request Appropriation App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to
$20,500
$13,342
$12,740
-$7,760
LEAs
21CCLC
2,000
999
991
-1,009
Education Block Grant
525
297
198
-327
School Choice
100
27
27
-73
FIE
625
264
675
+50
FY2005 specified total
$23,750
$14,929
$14,631
-$9,119
Difference:
FY2006 Programs
Authorization Request Appropriation App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to
$22,750
$13,342
$12,713
-$10,037
LEAs
21CCLC
2,250
991
981
-1,269
Education Block Grant
550
100
99
-451
School Choice
100
27
26
-74
FIE
650
1,976
513
-137
FY2006 specified total
$26,300
$16,436
$14,332
-$11,968

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CRS-9
Difference:
FY2007 Programs
Authorization Request Appropriation Req - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to
$25,000
$12,713
—
-$12,287
LEAs
21CCLC
2,500
981
—
-1,519
Education Block Grant
600
99
—
-501
School Choice
100
26
—
-74
FIE
675
1,752
—
+1,077
FY2007 specified total
$28,875 $15,571

—
-$13,304
Source: Authorization levels for all years are based on ESEA, as amended by NCLBA. FY2002
requests and appropriations are based on CRS Report RL31244, K-12 Education Funding:
Authorizations and Appropriations for FY2002 and the ED Budget Service tables of Jan. 3, 2002, and
Feb. 20, 2003. Requests and appropriations are based on ED Budget Service tables of Feb. 20, 2003,
and Aug. 27, 2004, for FY2003; on the tables of Jan. 28, 2004, and Dec. 9, 2004, for FY2004; on the
tables of Dec. 9, 2004, and Jan. 4, 2006, for FY2005; on the tables of Jan. 4, 2006, and Mar. 21, 2006,
for FY2006; and on the table of Mar. 21, 2006, for FY2007. FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1%
reduction required by P.L. 109-148.
For a comparison of annual authorizations and the President’s budget requests,
Table 5 shows that the President’s budget request is less than the authorized amount
for each program for each year, with three exceptions: the FY2002 request for the
Education Block Grant and the FY2006 and FY2007 requests for the Fund for the
Improvement of Education (FIE). For a comparison of annual authorizations with
appropriations, Table 5 shows that, with the exception of FIE appropriations, the
appropriations are less than the authorizations for each program in each year. For the
FIE, the appropriation is higher than the authorized amount in each year except
FY2006. The FIE is a single authorization that includes more than 20 specific
activities, as well as more general activities related to the improvement of K-12
education. For instance, FY2006 appropriations were provided for general FIE
activities and for 18 separately specified activities authorized within FIE (Table 5
shows FIE funding only in the aggregate).
ESEA Funding Shortfall? Since the enactment of NCLBA in 2002, there
has been a continuing discussion regarding the appropriations “promised” and the
resulting “shortfall” when the enacted appropriations are compared to authorization
levels. Some would contend that the ESEA authorizations of appropriations, as
amended by NCLBA, represent a funding commitment that was promised in return
for legislative support for the new administrative requirements made of state and
local educational systems. They would contend that the authorized levels are needed
for implementing the new requirements, and that the differences between promised
and actual funding levels, as shown in Table 5, represent a shortfall of billions of
dollars — $9.1 billion for FY2005 and $12.0 billion for FY2006. Others would
contend that the authorized funding levels represent no more than appropriations
ceilings, and as such are no different from authorizations for most education
programs. That is, when the authorization amount is specified, it represents only a
maximum amount, with the actual funding level to be determined during the regular
annual appropriations process. In the past, education programs with specified

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CRS-10
authorization amounts generally have been funded at lower levels; few have been
funded at levels equal to or higher than the specified authorization amount.
IDEA Authorizations and
Appropriations for Part B Grants to States
Table 6 shows the annual amounts authorized, requested, and appropriated for
the IDEA Part B Grants to States program for special education. The table begins
with FY2005, the first year of authorizations specified by IDEA, as amended by P.L.
108-446, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004,
enacted December 3, 2004. Table 6 shows that each of the budget requests for
FY2005, FY2006, and FY2007 were less than the amounts authorized, as were both
the FY2005 and FY2006 appropriations for Part B Grants to States.
Table 6. IDEA Authorizations and Appropriations for Part B
Grants to States, FY2005-FY2007
(dollars in millions)
Difference:
appropriation (or request
for FY2007) -
Fiscal year Authorization
Request
Appropriation
authorization
2005
$12,358
$11,068
$10,590
-$1,768
2006
14,649
11,098
10,583
-4,066
2007
16,939
10,683
—
-6,256
Source: For authorizations, Section 611(i) of IDEA, as amended by P.L. 108-446. For budget
requests and appropriations, ED Budget Service tables of Dec. 9, 2004, Jan. 4, 2006, and Mar. 21,
2006. The FY2006 appropriation reflects the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-148.
IDEA Funding Shortfall? From FY1975 to FY2004, the IDEA Part B Grants
to States program authorized state payments up to a maximum amount of 40% of the
national average per-pupil expenditure (APPE) times the number of children with
disabilities ages three and above that each state serves. Appropriations were never
sufficient to reach the 40% level. In FY2003, for example, the maximum authorized
federal share of 40% was estimated to be $20.2 billion, whereas the actual
appropriation was $8.9 billion, or a federal share of 17.5%, for a “shortfall” of $11.3
billion for the Part B Grants to States program.
In 2004, the Congress addressed the Part B authorization issue in P.L. 108-446,
which specified annual authorization ceilings for Part B Grants to States for FY2005
through FY2011. Annual increases in authorizations were specified in order to reach
an estimated 40% federal share by FY2011. As shown in Table 6, the FY2005
authorization was $12.4 billion, whereas the appropriation for that year was $10.6
billion, or $1.8 billion under the maximum level authorized. For FY2006, the
authorization increased to $14.6 billion, whereas the amount requested in the budget
was $11.1 billion, or nearly $3.6 billion less. The amount provided for FY2006 was
$10.6 billion, or more than $4.0 billion less than the authorized amount. For

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FY2007, the authorization is $16.9 billion, but the amount requested in the budget
was $10.7 billion, more than $6.2 billion less than the authorized amount. As with
ESEA, some view these differences as funding shortfalls, while others see the
maximum federal share and the specified authorizations as nothing more than
appropriation ceilings. For additional information, please see CRS Report RL32085,
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Current Funding Trends, by
Richard N. Apling.
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