FY18 Spending Bill: What’s Good, Bad, and Next for Equity Advocates

New York

EdTrust–New York is a statewide education policy and advocacy organization focused first and foremost on doing right by New York’s children. Although many organizations speak up for the adults employed by schools and colleges, we advocate for students, especially those whose needs and potential are often overlooked.

West

EdTrust–West is committed to dismantling the racial and economic barriers embedded in the California education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust-West engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice and increases political and public will to build an education system where students of color and multilingual learners, especially those experiencing poverty, will thrive.

Massachusetts

The Education Trust team in Massachusetts convenes and supports the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership (MEEP), a collective effort of more than 20 social justice, civil rights and education organizations from across the Commonwealth working together to promote educational equity for historically underserved students in our state’s schools.

Let’s be honest: There has been a lot of bad news in the last year. But last week, those of us who care about equity in public education got some really good news. After some last minute drama, President Trump signed the bill funding the government through the end of September. Is the bill perfect? No. But there is a lot for us to celebrate in this bill with wins in both P-12 and higher education.

What’s Good

$175 increase in the maximum Pell Grant and no raid on the reserves
No cut to Title II, which funds educator support and development
An increase in Title I, which supports schools serving low-income students
Increases for Head Start and quality child care
More than double the funding for student supports and academic enrichment
Increases for programs like work-study and TRIO that make college more accessible and affordable
An increase for the Office of Civil Rights to ensure students’ rights are protected

A lot of people worked incredibly hard to make these wins happen, and we are grateful for all of them. But four people in particular deserve a big thank you: Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representatives Tom Cole (R-OK) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). These leaders fought for more funds and made sure these investments got in the final bill.

What’s Bad

We are extremely disappointed that Congress has not passed a bipartisan solution to ensure a path to citizenship for Dreamers. While the courts have allowed DACA to continue, that is no substitute for a permanent fix. Unfortunately, this omnibus bill was probably the last chance to get a legislative fix before the midterm elections. But we will continue to stand with these young Americans and fight for them. And it is a reminder to us all: elections matter, so be sure to vote!

What’s Next

Appropriations season for next year has already kicked off, with the Trump administration presenting a request that would reverse the progress made this year. It is clear, though, that Congress is not taking its marching orders on funding issues from the White House.

So what needs to happen next year? First, Congress must continue the progress we have made this year, which means continuing to increase the maximum award for Pell and protect its funding, and maintaining our investment in educator support and development. But Congress can and should go further to invest in equity by extending Pell eligibility to students who are incarcerated and Dreamers. Congress should also invest in innovation and the scaling of evidence-based practices for improving college completion.

And, in all decisions, Congress should prioritize making targeted, equitable investments that will increase opportunities and improve the lives of students of color and those from low-income families.

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