Ed Money Watch

Although we generally focus on federal funding, we thought it might be helpful to start a weekly news roundup that also includes a "state of the states and localities" as it relates to education funding in these tough economic times. Each Friday we'll recap the big stories of the week in education funding - state, federal, and local - in the hope of giving you a better idea of the effects of the financial crisis on schools, colleges, and universities.

After weeks of speculation about education's place in the stimulus bill, details are finally emerging. Today, the House Committee on Appropriations released a summary of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009." As expected, it includes funding for school modernization, aid to states for K-12 education, and a number of other programs from early childhood to higher education. It also includes an increase in the maximum Pell Grant.

In preparation for Secretary of Education-Designate Arne Duncan's confirmation hearing in the Senate tomorrow, the New America education team has put together a list of possible questions to be posed. Feel free to suggest additional questions in the reader comment section.

Pre-K-12

1. You have talked about the importance of education reform to narrow achievement gaps for poor and minority children. But research shows that as much as half of the achievement gap exists before children enter first grade - and that high-quality early education programs can help narrow those gaps and have a long-term, positive impact. What role do you believe quality pre-k and early education should play in efforts to improve student achievement and narrow achievement gaps? How should the federal government be involved in supporting and expanding access to high-quality early childhood education?

As we've mentioned before, the economic downturn has had significant effects on families and schools across the nation.