Education Secretary Pushes Big Budget Investments

By Rachel Christiansen

U.S. Education Department Secretary Arne Duncan is faced with a tough decision after lawmakers offered him an ultimatum; take a $15.3 million budget cut, or cut Pell Grant amounts that aide low-income students in college tuition costs. 

When responding to the ultimatum Friday, Duncan chose neither but House Education Subcommittee Chair Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mon.) interjected, “You don’t get that choice because a choice is going to have to be made!”

The hearing to discuss key educational program investments under President Obama’s 2012 budget proposal comes one day after Duncan called for a major reform to the No Child Left Behind Act. 

“Make no mistake, the budget request for education is more about investment than cuts,” Duncan said. 

Duncan’s proposal included investments in Early Learning, Race to the Top, training quality teachers, advocating for college completion and better support for “at-risk” students. Investments that total $48.8 billion.