Archives: Federal Education Budget Project Policy Papers

Student Loan Interest Rates: History, Subsidies, and Cost

  • By
  • Jason Delisle,
  • New America Foundation
February 9, 2012

In his State of the Union address, President Obama called on Congress to prevent federal student loan interest rates from doubling later this year. This is the culmination of decades of legislative changes to the federal student loan program. Few people are aware of the policies that led to the pending student loan interest rate increase and many question whether the 6.8 percent fixed interest rate charged on the most widely-available loans provides a real benefit to students.

2012 Education Appropriations Guide

  • By
  • Jason Delisle,
  • Jennifer Cohen,
  • New America Foundation
January 3, 2012

Congress completed the fiscal year 2012 appropriations process on December 17th, 2011, finalizing annual funding for federal education programs through September 30, 2012 at $68.1 billion, down $233 million from the prior year. It is the first year since 2007 that Congress did not increase total appropriations for education programs.

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Higher Education Spending

  • By
  • Jennifer Cohen,
  • New America Foundation
October 18, 2011

By late 2008, the United States was in the midst of its most severe economic recession since the 1930s, brought on by a collapse in real estate prices and exacerbated by the failure of many large banks and financial institutions. Heeding calls from economists, Congress and the Obama administration passed an historic law in early 2009 to stimulate the economy with $862 billion in new spending and tax cuts.

Congressional Budget Action for Fiscal Year 2012 and Its Impact on Education Funding

  • By
  • Jason Delisle,
  • New America Foundation
September 13, 2011

The fiscal year 2012 budget process has been anything but typical or predictable. While fiscal year 2012 starts in just a few weeks on October 1, 2011, the annual appropriations process is far from complete and funding for federal education programs  has not yet been finalized. Nevertheless, congressional action in the months that have led up to the start of fiscal year 2012 will have important effects on education funding levels in the appropriations process as well as for other programs, such as student loans and education tax benefits.

2011 Education Appropriations Guide

  • By
  • Jason Delisle,
  • Jennifer Cohen,
  • New America Foundation
May 17, 2011

Congress completed the fiscal year 2011 appropriations process on April 14th, 2011, finalizing annual funding for nearly all federal education programs through September 30, 2011 at $68.3 billion, up $4.2 billion from the prior year. Making sense of the federal education budget and the appropriations process can be a frustrating task for education advocates, state and local policymakers, the media, and the public. The fiscal year 2011 appropriations process has been particularly confusing. Congress bypassed several steps in the normal budget and appropriations process this fiscal year.

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Higher Education Spending

  • By
  • Jennifer Cohen,
  • New America Foundation
May 6, 2011

By late 2008, the United States was in the midst of its most severe economic recession since the 1930s, brought on by a collapse in real estate prices and exacerbated by the failure of many large banks and financial institutions. Heeding calls from economists, Congress and the Obama administration passed a historic law in early 2009 to stimulate the economy with $862 billion in new spending and tax cuts.

Summary and Analysis of President Obama’s Education Budget Request

  • By Federal Education Budget Project
February 16, 2011

President Barack Obama submitted his third budget request to Congress on February 14th, 2011. The detailed budget request includes proposed funding levels for federal programs and agencies in aggregate for the upcoming 10 fiscal years, and specific fiscal year 2012 funding levels for individual programs subject to appropriations. Congress will use the president's budget request to inform its consideration of tax and spending legislation later this year, including the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill that will set specific funding levels for federal education programs.

Key Questions on the Obama Administration's 2012 Education Budget Request

  • By Federal Education Budget Project
February 14, 2011

President Barack Obama submitted his third budget request to Congress on February 14th, 2011. The budget request includes proposed funding levels for all federal programs and agencies in aggregate for the upcoming 10 fiscal years, and specific fiscal year 2012 funding levels for programs subject to the annual appropriations process.

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund and Higher Education Spending in the States

  • By
  • Jennifer Cohen,
  • New America Foundation
December 9, 2010

UPDATED TO REFLECT NEW INFORMATION ON IDAHO.

By late 2008, the United States was in the midst of its most severe economic recession since the 1930s, brought on by a collapse in real estate prices and exacerbated by the failure of many large banks and financial institutions. Heeding calls from economists, Congress and the Obama administration passed a historic law in early 2009 to stimulate the economy with $862 billion in new spending and tax cuts.

Congressional Budget Action for Fiscal Year 2011 and its Impact on Education Funding

  • By
  • Jason Delisle,
  • New America Foundation
July 21, 2010

Typically, Congress puts forward a budget resolution each year that defines a spending and revenue plan for the next five to 10 years for the entire federal budget. The budget resolution and the ensuing budget process itself can have either significant or more subtle and indirect effects on education funding. The arcane procedures Congress uses to produce and act upon the budget resolution are often confusing to the media and education advocates alike. This confusion is made worse by political rhetoric and partisan spin.

Syndicate content