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A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion May 12, 2004

     

Bush Distorts Education Record in 3-State Tour



To kick off his three-day, three-state education tour, President Bush yesterday claimed that he has seriously increased funding for education, saying that "we're doing our duty, we understand that people need extra help, and the federal government is responding"1. But a look at the numbers shows that the President has left a $72 billion gap between what he promised to spend on education and what he has actually proposed -- leaving hundreds of thousands of children behind 2.

Yesterday the President visited Arkansas, a state that was promised $176 million for disadvantaged children by the White House in the No Child Left Behind Act. Instead, the Bush budget provides the state with only $117 million3. That means more than 60,000 Arkansas kids will be denied federal education assistance4. All told, Bush is proposing to reduce funding for almost one third of Arkansas school districts from the levels of one year ago5. Of course, the President still insisted that his education budget met his promises to Arkansas. But just last month the University of Arkansas released a comprehensive study showing that the Bush budget gaps were damaging education throughout the state6.

The President will continue his education tour in Maryland today and in West Virginia tomorrow - both states with the same story. Bush promised $264 million to Maryland this year for educating disadvantaged children7, and yet he is only proposing to give the state $171 million -- leaving more than 60,000 kids behind8. And in West Virginia, Bush promised $163 million but is only providing $106 million -- leaving more than 40,000 kids behind. Making matters worse, a new report shows that West Virginia is among the 8 states whose budgets have been hardest hit by other White House policies, with Bush policies draining away state money that could be used to fill education budget shortfalls9.

Sources:
  1. President Bush Visits Butterfield Junior High in Van Buren, Arkansas, 05/11/04.
  2. PASSING DOWN THE DEFICIT, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 05/12/04.
  3. Press Release, American Federation of Teachers, 01/12/04.
  4. National Education Association.
  5. Associated Press, 3/15/04.
  6. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/30/04.
  7. Press Release, American Federation of Teachers, 01/12/04.
  8. National Education Association.
  9. PASSING DOWN THE DEFICIT, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 05/12/04.



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