FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2020

President Trump released his fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request on February 10. The $4.8 trillion budget provides insight into Trump’s priorities for an election year and a potential second term.

The Global Campaign for Education-US (GCE-US) is particularly concerned that the president’s request included cuts to both domestic and international education programs. In FY2020, Congress enacted $875 million for international basic education programs. In 2019, USAID’s basic education programs reached over 42 million children and youth in more than 50 countries. With U.S. government support, multilateral programs like the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW) have strengthened local public education systems and provided life-saving educational opportunities in conflict and crisis settings.

President Trump’s budget proposed cutting basic education funding to $301 million, approximately 66% below 2020 levels. Overall, the president’s proposed budget cut foreign aid by 21%. Domestically, the president’s proposed cutting the Department of Education by nearly 8%. These cuts put programs like Head Start and Child Care Block Grants at risk. GCE-US supports fully funding the Department of Education so it can establish federal aid policies, collect and disseminate critical data on America’s schools, identify issues in education and bring attention to them, and enforce federal statutes prohibiting discrimination to ensure equal access to education for all.

GCE-US is encouraged that Congress, which is responsible for developing and appropriating the final federal budget, has traditionally maintained and supported funding for key international and domestic education programs. It is vital that members of Congress hear a groundswell of support for education and international basic education funding, given these proposed budget cuts.

GCE-US, along with our members and partners, is advocating for robust funding for the International Affairs Budget and the Education accounts. Please join in and add your voice today:

1. To send a letter to your members of Congress, click here.
   2. To tweet your members of Congress, click here.
   3. To join us in other efforts, such as Hill meetings in Washington, DC and local districts, please contact Suzanne Berman, Senior Advisor, GCE-US.