House Proposes Steep Cuts to Education; Holds IDEA Harmless
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies considered its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 spending bill, which funds federal education programs. The bill, led by Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL), would cut education funding by $12 billion, or 15 percent, approximately the same reduction proposed in the President's budget.
The largest reduction to K-12 education is a proposed $5.2 billion (27 percent) cut to Title I. The bill also eliminates Title II teacher professional development and the Teacher Quality Partnerships grant program. Education research supported by the Institute for Education Sciences would see a six percent decrease, rather than the near-elimination proposed in the Administration’s budget. The bill would provide a $25 million overall increase to special education, as well as increases to the Charter Schools Program and Career and Technical Education. Further details on spending, including the line-by-line proposed funding levels for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs, have not been released.
While special education funding is not specifically on the chopping block, a cut to other K-12 programs, which will strain local education budgets, will impact children with disabilities. The bill passed the Subcommittee on a party-line vote Tuesday evening, and full Appropriations Committee consideration is forthcoming. The path to a single bill that can pass both the House and Senate remains unclear.
Action Alert: As Congress continues to debate education funding for the upcoming year, please join us in voicing your support for special education. Take Action