Senator Murray Delivers for Students and Parents With Huge Boost to Public Schools
Statement
Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, released the following statement on the $17.5 billion included in the funding package for Title I-A, the primary source of federal funding for public K-12 schools. This is an increase of $1 billion from fiscal year 2021, marking the largest increase in the program in more than a decade.
"After an incredibly tough two years for students, parents, and educators, Democrats ensured that schools have the support to reopen safely, stay open, and start to get students back on track. Now, this bill will build on that progress by strengthening our public schools and getting them more resources to help students thrive. We're making our students a priority, we're helping educators do their jobs better, and we're listening to parents--including by providing schools more resources to connect with their communities and engage with students' families."
"At the end of the day, when it comes to education, my goal is to make sure every single student can get a great public school education that sets them up for success throughout their life. That's what I work for every single day in Congress, and this bill--with a huge boost for public schools--is an important step in the right direction."
The omnibus includes $17.5 billion--which constitutes $1 billion in new funding and the largest increase in over 1o years--for Title I-A grants, which support more than half of all U.S. public schools. It will also provide $443 million in new funding--totaling $14.2 billion overall--for special education state grant programs, which support nearly 9 million students and children with disabilities.
The bill also includes $15 million for the Statewide Family Engagement Program--first authorized by Senator Murray's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)--to support statewide parent education and family engagement, and training for school staff to improve parental involvement.
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