K-12 Education Programs: Recent Appropriations

K-12 Education Programs: Recent Appropriations

Order Code RL33058
K-12 Education Programs: Recent Appropriations
Updated January 11, 2007
Paul M. Irwin
Specialist in Social Legislation
Domestic Social Policy Division

K-12 Education Programs: Recent Appropriations
Summary
On February 6, 2006, the President submitted the FY2007 budget request to the
Congress; the request for K-12 education programs was $36.9 billion. This amount
represents a decrease of $1.8 billion from the FY2006 amount of $38.7 billion, and
a decrease of $1.2 billion compared to the FY2005 amount of $38.1 billion. The
FY2007 request was $9.0 billion more than the K-12 appropriation of $27.9 billion
in FY2001 — 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 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.” The
reauthorization of ESEA programs, as amended by NCLBA, is likely to be
considered by the 110th Congress.
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. No additional funds
for hurricane recovery for K-12 education were requested by the President for
FY2007. Funding for K-12 education programs in FY2006 was determined by a
combination of: (1) funding from P.L. 109-149; (2) a reduction of 1% in
discretionary funds required by P.L. 109-148; (3) a supplemental $1.4 billion for K-
12 programs to respond to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes provided by P.L. 109-148;
and (4) a supplemental $235 million for K-12 programs for hurricane recovery
provided by P.L. 109-234.
Compared to the $36.9 billion requested by the President for K-12 education in
FY2007, H.R. 5647, as reported by the House Committee on Appropriations (H.Rept.
109-515, June 20, 2006), would provide $36.6 billion. S. 3708, as reported by the
Senate Committee on Appropriations (S.Rept. 109-287, July 20, 2006), also would
provide $36.6 billion for K-12 education. FY2007 appropriations are available for
K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007, under the provisions of a
continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.
This report will be updated as appropriations are enacted. This report replaces
CRS Report RS21947, K-12 Education Programs: Appropriations Summary.

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Appropriations for K-12 Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Appropriations for Major ESEA Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ESEA Funding Shortfall? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ESEA Reauthorization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IDEA Authorizations and Appropriations for Part B Grants to States . . . . 10
IDEA Funding Shortfall? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Table 4. Appropriations for Major ESEA Programs, FY2001-FY2007 . . . . . . . . 6
Table 5. ESEA Authorizations and Appropriations, FY2002-FY2007 . . . . . . . . 7
Table 6. IDEA Part B Grants to States Authorizations and Appropriations,
FY2005-FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

K-12 Education Programs:
Recent Appropriations
This report examines federal appropriations for K-12 education. It begins with
the status of FY2007 appropriations. The report discusses the programs that are
typically 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 for components of K-12 education and major ESEA programs are
shown since FY2001. Authorizations and appropriations are compared since FY2002
for ESEA, and since FY2005 for Part B Grants for States of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The resulting differences have been a continuing
issue regarding the possible funding shortfall for ESEA and IDEA. The
reauthorization of ESEA programs is likely to be considered by the 110th Congress.
Action on FY2007 K-12 Education Appropriations
Table 1 shows the FY2005 and FY2006 appropriations for K-12 education
programs, the President’s FY2007 request, and the FY2007 proposals by the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The FY2007 request was $36.9 billion,
which would be a reduction of $1.8 billion compared to K-12 education funding of
$38.7 billion for FY2006. The bills reported by the House and Senate Committees
on Appropriations would each provide $36.6 billion for K-12 education. Under the
request, aggregate funding for the programs authorized by ESEA, as amended by
NCLBA, would be increased 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.
No funds were requested for K-12 programs for recovery from the 2005 Gulf Coast
hurricanes; $1.6 billion was provided in FY2006. If the $1.6 billion recovery
programs are excluded from the FY2006 total, the FY2007 budget request would
represent a reduction of $0.2 billion from the adjusted FY2006 amount.
The President’s FY2007 request was submitted to Congress on February 6,
2006. The House Committee on Appropriations reported its recommendation for
FY2007 appropriations as H.R. 5647 (H.Rept. 109-515) on June 20, 2006. The
Senate Committee on Appropriations reported its proposal as S. 3708 (S.Rept. 109-
287) on July 20, 2006. For the purpose of comparison, Table 1 shows K-12 funding
for both FY2005 and FY2006. Most FY2006 education appropriations were enacted
through P.L. 109-149 (H.R. 3010), the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006. FY2006
discretionary amounts were subject to a 1% reduction required by §3801, Division
B, P.L. 109-148 (H.R. 2863), the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental

CRS-2
Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic
Influenza Act, 2006. FY2006 funding includes a $1.6 billion supplemental for K-12
education hurricane recovery, including $1.4 billion from P.L. 109-148, and $235
million from P.L. 109-234 (H.R. 4939), the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations
Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006. The 1%
reduction required by P.L. 109-148 did not apply to hurricane recovery funds; all
other FY2006 amounts discussed in this report reflect this reduction.
Table 1. Proposed Appropriations for K-12 Education, FY2007
(dollars in millions)
FY2007 FY2007
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007
House
Senate
Program
final
enacted
request
Comm.
Comm.
Elementary and Secondary
$24,352
$23,333
$24,400
$22,842 $22,953
Education Act (ESEA) total
Title I, Part A Grants to Local
12,740
12,713
12,713
12,713
12,713
Educational Agencies (LEA)
21st Century Community
991
981
981
981
981
Learning Centers (21CCLC)
Education Block Grant
198
99
99
150
0
School Choice
27
26
26
26
26
Fund for the Improvement of
675
512
1,752
427
498
Education (FIE) (a)
Special education
11,674
11,653
11,698
11,753
11,610
Part B Grants to States
10,590
10,583
10,683
10,733
10,583
Vocational education
1,326
1,296
0
1,296
1,296
Adult education
585
580
580
580
580
K-12 hurricane recovery
0
1,635
0
0
0
All other K-12 programs
183
179
177
177
183
Total K-12 funding
$38,120
$38,676
$36,855
$36,648 $36,622
Source: Data are compiled from the Department of Education (ED) Budget Service table of Mar. 21,
2006, and July 24, 2006. The FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-
148, as well as supplemental appropriations to respond to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes. For
legislative action and background on FY2007 appropriations, please see CRS Report RL33576, Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Education: FY2007 Appropriations, by Paul M. Irwin.
Note: FY2007 appropriations are available for K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007,
under the provisions of a continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.
a. The FY2007 budget request would increase total funds for FIE to more than $1.75 billion,
consisting of regular FIE funding of $138 million and five FIE initiatives of the President that
total more than $1.6 billion, including $1.475 billion for High School Reform to expand the
requirements of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA) at the high school level.

CRS-3
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 most
recently 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.
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. In addition, supplemental appropriations were
enacted in FY2006 for K-12 hurricane recovery programs to respond to the 2005
Gulf Coast hurricanes. 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.
1 Adult education often 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 K-12 category. This report
follows current 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.

CRS-4
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 and FY2007 requests would have provided decreased
funding with respect to both appropriations and requests for the previous year.
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
38.7
2007
36.9
—
Source: Department of Education Budget Service tables of Feb. 6, 2006, and July 24, 2006, with an
adjustment that includes adult education as a part of K-12 funding. The FY2006 appropriations reflect
the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-148, as well as supplemental appropriations to respond to the
2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Note: FY2007 appropriations are available for K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007,
under the provisions of a continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.
Appropriations for K-12 Components
Table 3 shows funding for major components of K-12 education since FY2001,
the last year prior to the NCLBA amendments to ESEA. Most K-12 education funds
are allocated for ESEA programs. For example, ESEA programs were funded at
$23.3 billion in FY2006, or 60% of the total K-12 appropriation of $38.7 billion.
Significant FY2006 amounts were appropriated for non-ESEA programs 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 recovery programs in response to 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 $556 million, primarily
because of hurricane recovery funds; however, FY2006 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 $1.8 billion.

CRS-5
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
11,653
11,698
Vocational
1,243
1,321
1,326
1,328
1,326
1,296
0
education
Adult education
561
591
587
590
585
580
580
K-12 hurricane
0
0
0
0
0
1,635
0
recovery
Other K-12
197
158
244
184
183
179
177
programs
Total K-12 $27,883 $32,697 $35,724 $37,538 $38,120 $38,676 $36,855
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, Mar. 21, 2006, and for FY2006 and
the FY2007 request, July 24, 2006. The FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1% reduction required by
P.L. 109-148, as well as supplemental appropriations to respond to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Note: FY2007 appropriations are available for K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007,
under the provisions of a continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.
Appropriations for Major ESEA Programs
Table 4 shows the appropriations for 12 of the ESEA programs with the highest
funding levels since FY2001. 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 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 funding was reduced for
each component 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 proposed ESEA total.

CRS-6
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)
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
512
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 $23,332 $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; for FY2005, Mar. 21, 2006; and for FY2006 and
the FY2007 request, July 24, 2006. The FY2006 appropriations reflect the 1% reduction required by
P.L. 109-148.
Note: FY2007 appropriations are available for K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007,
under the provisions of a continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.

CRS-7
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.
! 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 ESEA
Authori-
Appropri-
Difference:
Section Reference
zation
Request
ation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs,
$13,500
$9,061
$10,350
-$3,150
§1002
21st Century Community
Learning Centers (21CCLC),
1,250
846
1,000
-250
§4206
Innovative Education Programs
450
472
385
-65
(Education Block Grant), §5146
Voluntary Public School Choice
100
0
25
-75
(School Choice), §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

CRS-8
Authori-
Appropri-
Difference:
FY2003 Programs
zation
Request
ation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$16,000
$11,353
$11,689
-$4,311
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
Authori-
Appropri-
Difference:
FY2004 Programs
zation
Request
ation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$18,500
$12,350
$12,342
-$6,158
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
Authori-
Appropri-
Difference:
FY2005 Programs
zation
Request
ation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$20,500
$13,342
$12,740
-$7,760
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
Authori-
Appropri- Difference:
FY2006 Programs
zation
Request
ation
App - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$22,750
$13,342
$12,713
-$10,037
21CCLC
2,250
991
981
-1,269
Education Block Grant
550
100
99
-451
School Choice
100
27
26
-74
FIE
650
1,976
512
-138
FY2006 specified total
$26,300
$16,436
$14,331
-$11,969

CRS-9
Authori-
Appropri-
Difference:
FY2007 Programs
Request
zation
ation
Req - Auth
Title I, Part A Grants to LEAs
$25,000
$12,713
—
-$12,287
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.
Requests and appropriations are based on ED Budget Service tables, as follows: for FY2003, Feb. 20,
2003, and Aug. 27, 2004; for FY2004, Jan. 28, 2004, and Dec. 9, 2004; for FY2005, Dec. 9, 2004,
and Mar. 21, 2006; for FY2006 and the FY2007 request, July 24, 2006. FY2006 appropriations
reflect the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-148.
Note: FY2007 appropriations are available for K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007,
under the provisions of a continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.
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). For FY2007, the total amount authorized
for the five specified programs is $28.9 billion; the President requested $15.6 billion;
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations reported $14.3 billion and
$14.2 billion, respectively (the last two amounts are not shown in Table 5).
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. For example, the FY2006 appropriation was $12.0 billion less than the
authorized amount, and the accumulated total appropriation for the five-year period
FY2002-FY2006 was $39.2 billion less than the maximum authorized. Others would
contend that the authorized funding levels represent no more than appropriations

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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
authorization amounts generally have been funded at lower levels; few have been
funded at levels equal to or higher than the specified authorization amount.
ESEA Reauthorization. The 110th Congress in likely to consider extending
the authorization of appropriations for ESEA programs, as amended by NCLBA. All
current ESEA programs authorizations expire after FY2007. However, §422 of the
General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) already has extended for one additional
year the authorization for ESEA activities. The GEPA extension is effective only
through FY2008, which starts October 1, 2007 — Congress will begin its
consideration of FY2008 appropriations when the President submits the FY2008
budget on February 6, 2007. Future appropriations could extend the operation of
ESEA programs beyond FY2008. However, similar to the GEPA provision, such
extensions typically would apply to ESEA activities as they were authorized in
FY2007, without any modifications that might be enacted through reauthorization.
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. For FY2007, the
authorized amount is $16.9 billion, and the President requested $10.7 billion.

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Table 6. IDEA Part B Grants to States Authorizations and
Appropriations, FY2005-FY2007
(dollars in millions)
Difference: approp.
(or FY2007 request) -
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. Budget requests
and appropriations are based on ED Budget Service tables, as follows: for FY2005, Dec. 9, 2004, and
Mar. 21, 2006; for FY2006 and the FY2007 request, July 24, 2006. The FY2006 appropriation
reflects the 1% reduction required by P.L. 109-148.
Note: FY2007 appropriations are available for K-12 education programs through February 15, 2007,
under the provisions of a continuing resolution, P.L. 109-289, as amended.
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. Annual 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 was $10.6 billion, or $1.8
billion less than the authorized amount. For FY2006, the authorization increased to
$14.6 billion, whereas the amount provided was $10.6 billion, or $4.1 billion less
than the authorized amount. The accumulated total appropriation for the two-year
period FY2005-FY2006 is $5.8 billion less than the maximum authorized. As with
ESEA authorization and funding, 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 FY2007, the authorization is $16.9
billion, but the amount requested in the budget was $10.7 billion, or $6.3 billion less
than the authorized amount. The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
reported $10.7 billion and $10.6 billion, respectively; these two amounts are not
shown in Table 6. For additional information, please see CRS Report RL32085,
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Current Funding Trends, by
Richard N. Apling.