Deep ed cuts feared following failure to cut deficit

The collapse of the bipartisan congressional supercommittee’s effort to agree on a plan to slash the federal budget deficit isn’t just a defeat for congressional Republicans who, as AFT President Randi Weingarten said, “insisted on protecting the 1 percent from any additional taxes.” With no better legislation in sight, it bodes ill for school funding, too.

With some $1 trillion in automatic across-the-board cuts kicking in a year from now if no further congressional action is forthcoming, the Congressional Budget Office projects that education will suffer a 7.8 percent cut. Such a cut, Weingarten warned, would result in “massive reductions to education programs for our most disadvantaged students and those with disabilities.”

AFT press release, Nov. 21