1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the President's FY27 budget request for PreK–12 education and make the case for federal education funding that makes investments that are in the best interests of our students, our schools, and our country. This budget, if approved, will: -Reduce U.S.D.O.E. funding by $2.3 billion, -Cut K-12 funding by $6.5 billion, -Consolidate seventeen programs currently funded with $6.5 billion into one $2 billion grant program (the Make Education Great Again Grant Program), -Eliminates Title I, Part C (Migrant Education), -Shuts down Title III, Part A (English Language Acquisition), -Ends Special Programs for Migrant Students, and -Discontinues the Teacher Quality Partnership Program. The proposed cuts to Federal Work-Study, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), and support for Minority Serving Institutions will contribute to a decimation of crucial K-12 and postsecondary programs at the same time we are witnessing the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education.. This budget proposal includes $8.5 billion in cuts to K-12, with reductions in funding to programs assisting students with disabilities and underserved populations. It also cuts funds for STEM, music and arts education and lacks new investment in early childhood education. Specific programs, including Full-Service Community Schools and Teacher Quality Partnerships, are slated for elimination, which is seen as deepening existing inequities. As it is currently presented, this budget undermines efforts to help every student, no matter their background or location, to be successful citizens. These programs help educators meet the needs of all students, strengthen pathways into the profession, and support colleges and universities working to expand opportunities for our most underserved students. Eliminating them only deepens existing inequalities.. Bipartisan majorities in Congress must refuse this proposed budget, as they have in the recent past, and approve funding that sustains these important programs and protects any further dismantling of the Federal Office of Education. I urge you to oppose this cynical attempt to cut and eliminate investments in the future of our nation during the appropriations process, during open debate, and when FY27 budgeting is brought to the floor for a vote. Thank you.