The Department of Education is set to cut $10.6 billion from federal education programs while spending more on school choice, according to budget documents obtained by the Washington Post.
The budget draft—close to the version expected to be released next week, the Post reports—confirms cuts announced in March, including reductions to teacher-training and after-school initiatives. It also outlines new eliminations to programs covering arts education, international education and foreign language learning, and Special Olympics education, among other areas. Budget increases include $500 million—a 50 percent jump—in federal support for charter schools, along with $1 billion toward a program rewarding districts that let students choose their public schools and carry federal, state, and local dollars with them.
The cuts are expected to affect 150 positions—4 percent total—in the department, along with around 40 positions—7 percent—in its Office for Civil Rights, the Post reports.
