Stimulus slots more cash for schools

[firedupdem]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17372.html

Federal aid for education could grow as much as $140 billion under a two-year economic stimulus bill now taking shape in Congress, where Democrats are proposing a new block grant for states and a $15 billion expansion of annual Pell grants to low-income college students.

The numbers are sure to be refined as House and Senate Appropriations Committees complete their drafts this week. But like Medicaid, education has clearly emerged as a favorite channel through which Washington will pump massive amounts of aid to states struggling with huge budget deficits aggravated by the economic downturn.

The goal is to maintain services and forestall layoffs of public employees, including teachers and fire and law enforcement personnel. “When the recession ends, you are still going to need teachers, firemen, policemen, and the question is do we step in now or pay more to rebuild later,” a House Democratic leadership aide told Politico.

Nonetheless, the historic commitment — at a time of record deficits— risks putting the incoming Obama administration on the hook for years to come, and critics warn the effort can’t be sustained for long.

This is one reason Democrats are looking at a block-grant structure that could end after two years and not be built into the base funding for existing programs such as Title I aid for public schools.