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Congress fails to act on sequestration – education cuts looming

March 08, 2013

With passage of the March 1st deadline for Congress to deal with automatic spending cuts to education and other federal programs, Oregon schools and students stand to lose significant resources. Most troubling, the education funds that will be cut as a result of “sequestration” support low-income students and special education, English Language Learners and Head Start programs.

Specifically, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) projects that Oregon will lose about $23 million annually in support for education programs. These cuts include:

• $10.2 million reduction in Title I funding equal to a 6.6 percent cut;
•  $6.4 million reduction in IDEA funding equal to a 4.7 percent cut;
• $3.5 million for Head Start and Early Head Start; and
• $3 million in federal funds for other programs, including English Language Learner programs.

While full details about implementation of the cuts are still being finalized, most of the cuts won’t begin until July 2013. ODE officials expect the education spending cuts to impact the 2013-14 school year. As more information becomes available, we will share those resources.

For questions, contact Morgan Allen, OSBA legislative specialist.

Listen to OSBA Secretary-Treasurer and Portland Public Schools Board member Bobbie Regan speak about sequestration on KXL News Radio.