Washington, Sept. 27 (BUS): As Democrats press ahead with President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion rebuilding plan, they are promising historic investments across the education arc — from early childhood to college and beyond — in what advocates describe as the most comprehensive package. of its kind for decades.
The education provisions of Biden’s “Build Back Better” proposal will serve as a bedrock of educational opportunities for countless Americans and test the nation’s desire to expand federal programs in far-reaching ways.
Equality is the focus, as it seeks to remove barriers to education that for decades have led to disparities in wages and learning based on race and income. By expanding early education and childcare programs, it aims to bring back workers, especially women, who left their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic to care for children whose schools have closed.
Finally, Americans will be entitled to two years of free preschool in addition to two years of free community college. Millions of families will be eligible for extended childcare benefits. And there will be more federal financial aid for low-income college students.
“We haven’t done anything like that in my memory,” said Jessica Thompson, associate vice president of the Institute for College Access and Success, an educational nonprofit. “It’s the dream.”
Congress is working to meet the deadlines it set on Monday, and Biden’s broader proposal may come before the House later in the week. But Democrats first must overcome divisions within their ranks over the scope of the plan. The $3.5 trillion proposal reaches nearly every aspect of American life, from health care and taxes to climate and housing, the costs of which are largely paid for by tax increases for corporations and the wealthy.
Prices are likely to fall and ambitions to satisfy more centrist lawmakers who are wary of massive spending will decline. But the cuts are alarming progressives and others who say they have already made enough concessions.
Funding for historically black colleges and universities, for example, was cut from Biden’s earlier plans. As lawmakers look to other potential cost-saving steps, he may lose money to repair old school buildings.
In a recent House committee hearing, Representative Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., argued that any further cuts could jeopardize the success of her education programs.
“Even with the robust investments proposed here, we continue to fall short of vital programs,” she said.
Democrats are moving forward on their own because Republicans decry the proposal as a step toward socialism that will exacerbate inflation and exhaust the economy. They argue that a free community college will benefit the richer students who access the resource, at the expense of those with lower incomes. And even on childcare, which usually brings bipartisan support, Republicans say the plan goes too far.
Virginia Fox of North Carolina, a Republican member of the Board of Education and Labor Committee, said.
Combined, the $761 billion education investment makes up a fifth of Biden’s total package.
It aims to provide children with a stronger academic start, especially those from low-income families. Higher education plans aim to get more adults into college and help them graduate with degrees that lead to higher-paying jobs.
Even if the package is approved against strong GOP opposition, some high-profile education proposals will face a major hurdle: getting approval from states.
For example, community college and preschool plans will apply only in states that subscribe and cover a portion of the cost. Supporters worry that some countries will reject the programs for political reasons or to avoid cost.
Democrats’ proposal for an inclusive preschool — one of Biden’s campaign promises — would create new partnerships with states to offer free kindergarten for all 3- to 4-year-olds. The federal government will cover the full cost for the first three years before cutting it back until states pay 40%.
After seven years, it will either expire or need to be renewed.
A separate provision would expand childcare benefits to a larger segment of families, and families would be costing no more than 7% of their earnings. Unlike other aspects of the agenda, it will not require state participation – cities or counties can participate even if their states do not.
With the free community college, Biden is hoping for a benefit he’s been paying since the Obama administration. Under the proposal, anyone in a participating country would be eligible to attend a two-year community college without paying tuition fees.
Countries that choose to join will receive federal funding through a certain formula; They will eventually be required to cover about 20% of the cost. The bill will provide sufficient funding to support the program for a period of five years.
Other allocations include a $500 increase in the maximum Pell scholarship for low-income college students, new investments in teacher training programs and $82 billion in school infrastructure. In a move heralded by the college’s affordability advocates, it will also provide Federal College assistance to students with its Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program.
Education advocacy groups have praised the plan, although many hoped for a larger increase for the Pell Scholarships program.
Dennis Forte, interim chief executive of the Education Trust, said the bill has the potential to open new doors for communities long left behind. But she said the plan’s success would depend in large part on its acceptance by states.
“Some countries may see the barrier as too high, even though there is a significant return,” she said. “And some states that may not be ready have the highest percentage of students of color who lack access across a range of these issues.”
There is also criticism of the bill’s failure to deliver on some of Biden’s promises, particularly to black Americans and other major voting groups that helped deliver him to the White House.
In previous proposals, Biden called for at least $45 billion to support research at historically black colleges and universities. The bill includes $2 billion just for this purpose, though, prompting HBCU leaders to hold back from issuing a letter Wednesday asking for “several billions more dollars.”
Tensions over the issue have risen in recent weeks, with some Democrats in Congress’ black bloc threatening to withhold support for the bill unless more funding is added.
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