Shortage in Title I school funding draws criticism from educators

by Kevin Joy

WASHINGTON - Connecticut educators said Congress appears unlikely to give the state enough money to meet strict new standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, President Bush's plan to overhaul education and improve public schools.

Educators said spending bills currently before Congress reduce federal support for Title I, which provides federal aid to schools in low-income areas. While educators nationwide were expecting Title I to reach the $18.5 billion proposed by Bush, bills facing votes in Congress would cut that number to $12.4 billion for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. And the Senate, in a 51-44 vote Wednesday, killed an amendment offered by Robert Byrd, D-W.V., that would have fully funded the Title I program.

Teachers and administrators argue the $6 billion shortfall will greatly affect their ability to meet the law's numerous requirements, which include yearly testing in grades three through eight, increased standards for teachers and aides and greater accountability for schools that don't meet state standards.

"We're certainly concerned that the amount of funding was lower than expected," said Robert Rader, executive director of Connecticut Boards of Education. "To get less than expected is detrimental to our schools."

Connecticut is one of 39 states that is likely to receive less federal education money than expected in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, according to Thomas Murphy, spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Education He said Connecticut is slated to receive $2 million less for Title I than it expected. This year, Connecticut received $101 million in federal funding for Title I.

New London Public Schools expects to receive $1.45 million in Title I funding in fiscal 2004, a decrease of $14,139 from this year. While the difference may appear small, it does not account for increased program costs and new requirements for testing, parental involvement and professional development, said Sandra Carrington, the district's director of Grants, Extended Learning and Strategic Planning.

"Without additional funding, it places huge restraints on programs for our students," she said.

Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) blasted the reduced funding at a press conference here last week.

"We were given a commitment by the President of the United States and he made a commitment to America's children," Dodd said. "If you think it's going to be important to fight terrorism and global threats, then you'd better start investing in a population that's going to have the tools to meet those tremendous threats and obligations."

A number of administrators said they supported the law's goals, particularly that all students become proficient in reading, language arts and mathematics by the year 2014. "The goals behind it are noble," said Thomas Murphy, spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Education. However, Murphy said local officials are "very worried" about the lack of funding.

"We originally saw No Child Left Behind as an opportunity to get more resources, but we're spending millions on paperwork and bureaucracy," said Rosemary Coyle, president of the Connecticut Education Association and a third-grade teacher in Montville, Conn.. "It's an absolutely flawed piece of legislation."

Three schools in New London and 149 statewide have failed to meet the required proficiency levels, according to a report released last month by the state Department of Education. And whether or not a school labeled deficient is actually underperforming, administrators said such evaluations place negative stigmas on the schools, , as well as their teachers, students and parents.

The law requires that all racial and ethnic groups, special education students and pupils whose first language is not English progress at the same rate as their school's general student body.

Schools that fail to meet state standards within two years risk losing federal money. They also are required to pay transportation costs for some students, particularly those from low-income families, whose parents want them to transfer to better schools. "We're quite used to such high stakes of accountability," said Richard P. Foye, interim superintendent of the New London Public Schools. "But it's harder to deliver services to students in need and receive less financial help with more requirements."