A Call to Action: Oppose Trump’s Proposed 2021 Education Budget!

WHEREAS, President Trump's FY 2021 proposed Education budget continues his administration's theme of educational freedom rather than educational equality; and

WHEREAS, This year's request proposes to consolidate and decrease funding for dozens of programs that support disadvantaged students while simultaneously calling for the creation of a $5 billion tax credit to fund an Education Freedom Scholarship Program for students to attend private schools; and

WHEREAS, Although the FY 2021 budget includes an increase for career and technical education, that increase is dwarfed by an 8% cut in overall Education Department funding; and

WHEREAS, The Administration proposes to consolidate nearly every major K-12 funding stream, 29 programs in all, into a new block grant; and

WHEREAS, The new Elementary and Secondary Education for the Disadvantaged block grant slashes the total funding for the consolidated programs by 20%, or nearly $5 billion, below last year's funding levels. The new block grant would consolidate funding that has been dedicated by Congress to support the Nation's most vulnerable students — students from low-income families, homeless students, English learners, migrant students, and others; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2018 Education Trust report, in 14 states the districts with the most students of color get less state and local funding than districts with the lowest percentage of students of color; and in 27 states districts with the highest poverty rates do not receive more state and local funding to account for that need.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the NAACP opposes the Trump-proposed FY 2021 Education block grant and urges Congress to continue to provide robust, dedicated funding for essential programs such as Title 1, student support and academic enrichment grants, supporting effective instruction state grants, education for homeless children and youths, and comprehensive literacy development.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the NAACP advocate that States take action to address any failure to provide equitable state and local funding to underfunded districts.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the NAACP advocate against any effort by the current administration, for political reasons, to negatively impact state or local school district financial assistance; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That the NAACP oppose the nearly $5 billion tax credit to fund an Education Freedom Scholarship Program for students to attend private schools.