New Hampshire Sees Increase in Education Funding with Gregg Amendment
By Kim Forrest
WASHINGTON–Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), a strong proponent of increased education funding, said he has added over $2 billion to the fiscal year 2003 omnibus appropriations bill for education programs. The money will go toward expanding special-education programs, programs for disadvantaged students and Pell Grants for college students in need, adding money to programs valuable to New Hampshire’s education system.
New Hampshire is in line for a an estimated $3.8 million (14 percent) increase in programs to put into operation the No Child Left Behind program that was signed into law in early 2002. New Hampshire will also gain an increase of 17 percent, or about $5.4 million for special-education programs.
“This increase will go a long way to ensure that school districts and educators in New Hampshire can focus on the important work of teaching students rather than being concerned about whether or not they have the tools to get the job done,” Gregg said in a statement.
Gregg also noted that despite some reports, the No Child Left Behind Act will not be a strain on state and local school budgets. “It’s a win-win situation in the sense that [schools] are getting a lot of dollars on top of a lot of dollars with the increases…without a great deal of strings attached,” he said.
The House was expected to pass the bill Thursday night and the Senate Friday morning.
Published in The Keene Sentinel, in New Hampshire.
