Rep. Howard P. “Buck" McKeon (R-CA), the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, today condemned the omnibus spending plan for FY 2009 crafted by congressional Democrats as a partisan attack on programs that serve some of the most disadvantaged students in the country. McKeon pointed out that the Democrats’ plan, unveiled only today and expected on the House floor later this week, would immediately defund the Reading First program while phasing out the popular D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.
“Democrats have crafted another massive federal spending package in secret, this time advancing their partisan agenda at the expense of some of the poorest children in some of the most troubled schools in the country," said McKeon. “Even as they plan to spend nearly half a trillion in taxpayer dollars, the majority is undermining critical education initiatives that help disadvantaged children."
The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program provides scholarships of up to $7,500 annually to low-income children in the nation’s capital, and has done so since 2004. The D.C. public school system is among the lowest-performing in the country, and the Opportunity Scholarship Program has proven a lifeline for struggling parents who want to enroll their children in safer, higher-achieving schools. The program remains overwhelmingly popular with D.C. parents, but has come under attack by some congressional Democrats. The omnibus spending plan unveiled today makes clear that the upcoming 2009-2010 school year is likely to be the last year in which children and families will have access to these scholarships.
Similarly, the Reading First program has proven a popular and successful initiative serving children in need. Created under the No Child Left Behind Act, Reading First provides funding and assistance to schools that serve low-income children in order to ensure that all children can read at grade level. While management of the Reading First program has been questioned in the past, Republicans have fought to reform the program while ensuring it continues to serve students. The Democrats’ spending plan eliminates funding for Reading First, while continuing to fund other, less effective reading programs that Democrats prefer.
"The decision to eliminate funding for these two critical programs is nothing more than a partisan power play, and unfortunately, it’s disadvantaged children and their families who are being caught in the middle," said McKeon.
