Beloved U.S. Department of ?Education?

Did you know:

The U.S. Department of Education

1. Currently administers a budget of $63.7 billion in FY 2010 discretionary appropriations (including discretionary Pell Grant funding) and $96.8 billion in discretionary funding
(That’s $160 Billion)

2. Serves nearly 14,000 school districts and approximately 56 million students attending some 99,000 public schools and 34,000 private schools, and more than 14 million postsecondary students. (That’s 70,000,000 students)

3. Has 4200 employees

4. The United States constitution provides NO authority for the Federal Government to control EDUCATION. (DE admits “Education in America is primarily a State and local responsibility,” i.e: parents and teachers BUT……..)

5. Texas normally receives about $3.1 Billion in FED funds per year, or 10% of its education budget.

6. For that 10% Texas forfeits:
A. Its right to set the educational agenda
B. What can and cannot be taught
C. Control of the “school breakfast, lunch, and dinner” menu.
D. The right to determine the ratio of students/to/teacher.
E. The right, (to some extent) to attend school of choice.

7. Is withholding $830 million in allocated funds, because Texas will not agree to a DE demand that Texas violate its constitution. (A state-specific provision inserted into a federal law by a Democratic Texas congressman --U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, --requires that Republican Gov. Rick Perry promise Texas will maintain certain education spending levels through 2013 in order to get the funds. Perry has called the requirement unconstitutional because the Texas Constitution prohibits him from committing future state spending.)

8. The $160 Billion DE Budget also regulates and funds the following “couldn’t do without programs”!!
College and Career Ready Students (ESEA Title I Grants to LEAs)
School Turnaround Grants (School Improvement Grants)
Even Start
State Agency Program—Migrant
State Agency Program—Neglected and Delinquent
Improving Teacher Quality State Grants
Mathematics and Science Partnerships
Educational Technology State Grants
21st Century Community Learning Centers
Assessing Achievement (State Assessments)
Rural and Low-Income Schools Program
Small, Rural School Achievement Program
Indian Education—Grants to Local Educational Agencies
English Learner Education (Language Acquisition State Grants)
Homeless Children and Youth Education
Byrd Honors Scholarships
College Access Challenge Grants
Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants
Client Assistance State Grants
Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights
Services for Older Blind Individuals
Assistive Technology State Grants
Protection and Advocacy for Assistive Technology
Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants
English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants
State Grants for Workplace and Community Transition Training for Incarcerated Individuals