Fiscal Year 2017 Budget

Summary and Background Information

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I. SUMMARY OF THE 2017 BUDGET ...................................................................................... 1

Department of Education Discretionary Appropriations ...........................................................2

Major Initiatives for Fiscal Year 2017.......................................................................................3

Increasing Equity and Opportunity for All Students.............................................................3

Expanding Support for Teachers and School Leaders .......................................................6

Improving Access, Affordability, and Student Outcomes in Postsecondary Education........7

Promoting Greater Use of Evidence and Data....................................................................9

II. THE 2017 EDUCATION BUDGET BY PROGRAM AREA.....................................................11

A. HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING.................................................................................11

Overview..........................................................................................................................11

Preschool for All (mandatory)...........................................................................................12

Preschool Development Grants........................................................................................12

B. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION............................................................14

Overview..........................................................................................................................14

Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies ....................................................................16

State Assessments ..........................................................................................................17

Education Innovation and Research.................................................................................17

RESPECT: Best Job in the World (mandatory) ...............................................................18

Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants...................................................................18

Supporting Effective Educator Development ....................................................................19

Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants ..................................................................20

School Leader Recruitment and Support..........................................................................20

Teach to Lead..................................................................................................................20

STEM Master Teacher Corps...........................................................................................20

Charter Schools Grants....................................................................................................21

Stronger Together............................................................................................................21

Magnet Schools Assistance .............................................................................................22

Promise Neighborhoods...................................................................................................22

Full-Service Community Schools......................................................................................22

21st Century Community Learning Centers.......................................................................23

Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants .........................................................23

Next Generation High Schools .........................................................................................23

Computer Science for All (mandatory)..............................................................................24

Computer Science for All Development Grants ................................................................25

School Safety National Activities ......................................................................................25

Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants .................................................................26

Innovative Approaches to Literacy ...................................................................................26

Ready to Learn Programming ..........................................................................................26

Arts in Education..............................................................................................................26

Javits Gifted and Talented Education...............................................................................26

American History and Civics Academies ..........................................................................27

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English Language Acquisition ..........................................................................................27

Title I State Agency Programs..........................................................................................27

Migrant Education.......................................................................................................28

Neglected and Delinquent Education..........................................................................28

Education for Homeless Children and Youths ..................................................................28

Rural Education ...............................................................................................................28

Indian Education ..............................................................................................................29

Native Hawaiian Education ..............................................................................................29

Alaska Native Education ..................................................................................................30

Comprehensive Centers...................................................................................................30

Impact Aid........................................................................................................................30

Training and Advisory Services........................................................................................31

Supplemental Education Grants.......................................................................................31

C. SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES............................................33

Overview..........................................................................................................................33

Special Education..................................................................................................................35

Grants to States ...............................................................................................................35

Preschool Grants .............................................................................................................35

Grants for Infants and Families ........................................................................................36

State Personnel Development..........................................................................................36

Technical Assistance and Dissemination .........................................................................36

Personnel Preparation .....................................................................................................37

Parent Information Centers ..............................................................................................37

Educational Technology, Media, and Materials ................................................................37

Special Olympics Education Programs.............................................................................37

Rehabilitation Services..........................................................................................................38

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) State Grants.....................................................................38

Supported Employment State Grants...............................................................................38

Client Assistance State Grants.........................................................................................39

Training............................................................................................................................39

Demonstration and Training .............................................................................................39

Independent Living Services for Older Blind Individuals ...................................................39

Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights...................................................................40

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults........................................40

Special Institutions for Persons with Disabilities ...............................................................40

American Printing House for the Blind ........................................................................41

National Technical Institute for the Deaf .....................................................................41

Gallaudet University ...................................................................................................41

D. CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION.........................................................42

Overview..........................................................................................................................42

Career and Technical Education ......................................................................................42

Adult Education................................................................................................................43

E. STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE..............................................................................44

Overview..........................................................................................................................44

Federal Student Aid and Tax Benefits for College Students.............................................48

Student Aid Summary Tables...........................................................................................49

Federal Pell Grant Program .............................................................................................51

Campus-Based Aid Programs..........................................................................................52

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Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.................................................................52

Work-Study ......................................................................................................................52

Perkins Loans ..................................................................................................................53

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants................................................................................54

TEACH Grants .................................................................................................................54

Program Information ........................................................................................................54

Federal Family Education Loans and Direct Loans ..........................................................55

F. HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS.................................................................................58

Overview..........................................................................................................................58

America’s College Promise (mandatory) ..........................................................................59

College Opportunity and Graduation Bonus (mandatory) .................................................60

Title III: Aid for Institutional Development ........................................................................61

Aid for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)......................................................................63

HBCU and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) Innovation for Completion Fund..............63

International Education and Foreign Language Studies (IEFLS) ......................................64

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)......................................64

Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical Institutions ...............................65

Special Programs for Migrant Students............................................................................65

Federal TRIO Programs...................................................................................................65

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) .......66

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)...............................................66

Model Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID)..................66

Child Care Access Means Parents in School ...................................................................67

Teacher and Principal Pathways ......................................................................................67

Howard University............................................................................................................67

Academic Facilities ..........................................................................................................68

G. INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES ........................................................................69

Overview..........................................................................................................................69

Research, Development, and Dissemination....................................................................69

Statistics ..........................................................................................................................70

Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs).......................................................................70

Assessment .....................................................................................................................70

Research in Special Education ........................................................................................71

Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems ..............................................................................71

Special Education Studies and Evaluations .....................................................................71

III. PROGRAMS PROPOSED FOR ELIMINATION...................................................................72

Proposed Discretionary Program Eliminations.......................................................................72

IV. DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT .....................................................................................73

History and Background ........................................................................................................73

Salaries and Expenses Overview..........................................................................................75

Department Employment..................................................................................................76

Program Administration....................................................................................................77

Student Aid Administration...............................................................................................78

Office for Civil Rights........................................................................................................79

Office of Inspector General ..............................................................................................80

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APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................81

Summary of Discretionary Funds

Mandatory Funding in the Department of Education

Summary of Mandatory Funds

Advance Appropriations for Department of Education

Total Expenditures for Elementary and Secondary Education in the United States

Detailed Budget Table by Program

For further information on the Department and its activities,

visit us at www.ed.gov, or call 1-800-USA-LEARN

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If we want America to lead in the 21st century, nothing is more important than giving everyone 

the best education possible—from the day they start preschool to the day they start their career.

President Barack Obama

I. SUMMARY OF THE 2017 BUDGET

Over the last 7 years, our Nation has made considerable progress in education: the high school 

graduation rate has reached an all-time high—82 percent; dropout rates are at historic lows; 

and, since 2008, more than 1 million additional African-American and Hispanic students have

enrolled in college. In addition, more students are graduating from college than ever before. 

But we know that there is much work left to do to ensure every student—regardless of 

background, income, race, zip code, disability, or native language—receives a world-class 

education that prepares him or her to succeed in college, careers, and life.

The 2017 Budget builds on our progress and reflects key developments over the past year, 

most significantly, enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the long overdue

reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The reauthorized 

ESEA embraces many reforms the Administration has long supported, including requiring 

States to define and set high standards for college- and career-readiness, ensuring that States 

are held accountable for the success of all students, spurring innovation in education, 

encouraging States to reduce unnecessary testing, and expanding access to high-quality 

preschool.

The 2017 request supports implementation of the new law, aiming to secure a strong future for 

every student by emphasizing three core goals: increasing equity and excellence so all 

students succeed; providing support for teachers and school leaders; and promoting access, 

affordability, and completion in higher education. Expanding educational opportunity positions 

our children for success as adults and promotes economic growth and global competitiveness, 

which depend on tapping the potential of all Americans. 

The 2017 Budget puts a strong focus on equity and excellence at every level of our education 

system, in every school, beginning with a significant increase for the Title I Grants to Local 

Educational Agencies program that includes additional targeted resources to help turn around 

our lowest-performing schools, a critical component in improving educational equity. The 

Budget also supports continued innovation in education, providing increased funding to develop, 

test, and scale up new models for teaching and learning and effective approaches to improving 

educational outcomes for all students. Ensuring educational opportunity for all students also 

means that each student has access to rigorous coursework that will prepare him or her for the 

21st century economy. That is why the 2017 request includes a new proposal to give all 

students access to high-quality computer science (CS) coursework, reflecting the reality that 

CS is a “new basic” skill, critical for success in college and 21st century careers. 

When it comes to increasing educational opportunity, teachers are fundamental, yet teachers 

today often do not have the preparation, support, opportunities for leadership, or the autonomy 

they need to succeed. Principals also are a major factor in attracting, developing, and retaining 

excellent teachers and have a significant impact on quality instruction and school culture. It is 

imperative that we invest in innovative ways to recruit, develop and retain the diverse teachers 

and leaders our schools and our students need. The 2017 request includes significant new 

resources to support teachers and school leaders in their efforts to improve achievement and 

outcomes for every student.
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Educational opportunity means not only access to college, but the support needed to persist 

and graduate with a postsecondary degree that increasingly is the foundation of a middle-class 

career. For this reason, the 2017 Budget focuses not only on enrollment and affordability, but 

on completion, and includes proposals to ensure that more students graduate with an 

affordable, high-quality degree that will set them on the path to a bright future. In addition, 

college completion is critical for the integrity of Federal student loan programs, because 

students who drop out of postsecondary education are three times as likely to default on their 

student loans as those who graduate. Just half of all students who start college at 4-year 

institutions will complete their degree in a reasonable period of time—and at 2-year schools, it’s 

only about one-third. We also know that just 9 percent of students from the lowest-income 

quartile earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24, compared to 77 percent for the most affluent 

quartile. The 2017 Budget would promote college completion for low-income students by

expanding access to Pell Grants during the summer for those making steady progress toward a 

degree and increasing the maximum Pell award for students who take at least 15 credits, the 

number needed to complete 2- and 4-year degrees on time. The Budget also provides

continued support for innovation aimed at building the evidence base for what works in helping 

students complete their degrees. 

Our 2017 Budget reflects our commitment to educational and economic opportunity. Now, more 

than ever before, we must invest in the extraordinary potential of all our children, support the 

transformative power of teachers, and ensure that students both enter postsecondary education 

and complete their college degrees. 

The Administration requests $69.4 billion in discretionary appropriations for the 

Department of Education in 2017, an increase of $1.3 billion, or 2 percent, over the 

2016 level.

The 3-year table below displays the Department’s request without Pell Grants, the discretionary 

request for the Pell Grant program, and the total discretionary request.

Department of Education Discretionary Appropriations

(in billions of dollars)

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

Change

from 2016

Discretionary

(without Pell Grants) $44.4 $45.6 $46.9 +$1.3

Pell Grants

(discretionary portion) $22.5 $22.5 $22.5 0.0

Total $66.91 $68.11 $69.4 +$1.3

1 Excludes Preschool Development Grants which is funded through the Department of Health and 

Human Services in 2017.

The Department’s budget also includes mandatory funds. Mandatory funding does not require 

annual appropriations because the authorizing legislation establishes a fixed funding level or a

method for calculating automatic appropriations without further congressional action. The 

largest mandatory programs in the Department's Budget are federally subsidized loans for 
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postsecondary students, the costs of which are estimated based on assumptions about the cost 

of Federal borrowing, loan volume, origination fees, repayments, and defaults. In total, 

discretionary and mandatory funding would make available about $200 billion in aid to education

in fiscal year 2017, of which $139.7 billion is new postsecondary grants, loans, and work-study 

assistance—an increase of $42 billion, or 43 percent, over the amount available in 2008—to 

help an estimated 12.1 million students and their families pay for postsecondary education and 

training.

From fiscal years 2010–2015, the Department successfully streamlined and consolidated 

programs to save taxpayer dollars, improve efficiency, reduce administrative burdens, and 

better serve States, schools, students, and families. Congress eliminated or consolidated 

approximately 50 ineffective, outdated, or duplicative programs for a total annual savings of 

more than $1.2 billion, in many instances following the Administration’s recommendations. 

Legislation enacted in 2010 also ended the guaranteed student loan program, replacing it with 

the more efficient direct loan program. The resulting savings were invested in the Pell Grant 

program to support an increase in the maximum award, which has risen from $4,731 in award 

year 2008–2009 to $5,815 in award year 2016–2017; the 2010 legislation also established 

mandatory funding to increase the Pell Grant maximum award based on the change in the 

Consumer Price Index through 2017.

Major Initiatives for Fiscal Year 2017

This 2017 Budget Request focuses on three major priorities: (1) increasing equity and 

opportunity for all students; (2) expanding support for teachers and school leaders; and 

(3) improving access, affordability, and student outcomes in postsecondary education. In 

addition, the Budget makes a cross-cutting commitment to promote greater use of evidence and

data to maximize results for taxpayers and students.

Increasing Equity and Opportunity for All Students

Equality of opportunity is a core American value that helps form our national identity, solidify our 

democracy, and strengthen our economy. But today, vastly disparate student outcomes reflect 

deep inequities in educational opportunity, particularly among poor and minority students. While 

we have made significant progress in increasing overall graduation rates, gaps between rates 

for different student groups continue to persist. We must work to close these achievement 

gaps, and one way to do so is to increase the availability of resources to improve access to the 

effective teachers, increase the use of evidence-based practices, and expand the availability of 

high-quality instruction. The 2017 Budget would provide resources to States and school 

districts to tailor their own strategies and interventions to meet the needs of students and 

schools, including the more than 24 million low-income and minority students in high-poverty 

schools. Key investments include:

• $15.4 billion for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), the cornerstone of the 

Federal Government’s effort to improve educational opportunity for disadvantaged students. 

Under the reauthorized program, States, in collaboration with school districts and schools, 

are developing State-determined college- and career-ready (CCR) standards, goals for 

closing achievement and graduation rate gaps, new accountability systems based on their 

CCR standards, and evidence-based improvement plans for low-performing schools. The 

request also allocates 50 percent of funding above the Title I authorized level, or 
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$173.7 million in 2017, to augment local efforts aimed at turning around low-performing 

schools, which remains an urgent priority in the effort to close achievement gaps.

• $1.3 billion in mandatory funding in 2017 for Preschool for All, and $75 billion over 10 years,

to support the implementation of universal high-quality preschool programs that are aligned 

with elementary and secondary education systems and help ensure that all children arrive in 

kindergarten ready to learn. The proposal would help States serve all children from lowand moderate-income families, create an incentive for States to expand access to highquality preschool for additional middle-class families, and promote access to full-day 

kindergarten. In addition, the Budget includes $350 million in discretionary funding at the 

Department of Health and Human Services for the jointly administered Preschool 

Development Grants program, newly authorized under ESSA. This is a $100 million 

increase over the 2016 enacted level to expand the reach of the program that currently 

supports the expansion of high-quality preschool in 18 States.

• $12.8 billion for IDEA Formula Grant Programs, to assist States in providing high-quality 

early intervention services to infants and families ages birth through 3 and help cover the 

costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities ages 

3 through 21. This includes $11.9 billion for IDEA Grants to States, $403 million for IDEA 

Preschool Grants to States, an increase of $35 million over fiscal year 2016, and 

$504 million for IDEA Grants for Infants and Families (Part C), an increase of $45 million 

over fiscal year 2016. The request would provide an average of $1,777 for each of the 

6.7 million children with disabilities ages 3 to 21 who are estimated to be served in 2017. 

The Federal contribution under this request toward meeting the excess cost of special 

education and related services for children ages 3 to 21 would be approximately 16 percent 

of national average per pupil expenditures. The increase proposed for Part C Grants for 

Infants and Families includes $15 million that would be used to make competitive grants to 

partnerships of public and private entities to support community-based model demonstration 

projects. These model demonstration projects would focus on expanding early screening, 

referral, and early intervention services to infants and toddlers eligible for Part C and those 

who are at-risk, but not eligible for Part C, and their families.

• $500 million in first-time funding for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, a 

new program that would provide formula grant funds that may be used to support a wide 

range of authorized activities to promote a well-rounded education for safe and healthy 

students, and the effective use of educational technology in schools.

• $403 million for State Assessments, an increase of $25 million, to support the pressing 

needs States have identified for developing and implementing next-generation assessment 

systems, and fund State and local audits of assessment systems to reduce unnecessary 

testing, consistent with the Administration’s Testing Action Plan.

• $120 million for a proposed Stronger Together grant program that would support planning 

and implementation grants for voluntary, community-supported efforts to develop and 

implement strategies to address the effects of concentrated poverty by increasing 

socioeconomic diversity in pre-K–12 schools. The Department would make competitive 

grants to LEAs, alone or in consortia, which have significant achievement gaps and 

socioeconomic segregation within or across districts. Grantees could use funds to 

(1) engage in a planning process with robust community engagement on the issue of how to 
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address socioeconomic segregation or (2) implement a strategy that already has been 

developed and has community support.

• $350 million for the Charter Schools program, an increase of $16.8 million, reflecting the 

Administration’s commitment to building on this program’s demonstrated success and 

strengthening charter school authorizing and oversight practices to expand access to highquality schools for historically underserved student groups. For fiscal year 2017, in making 

replication and expansion awards, the Department would target funds on charter 

management organizations operating schools with racially and socioeconomically diverse 

student bodies, consistent with the new statutory priorities and the Administration’s broader 

strategy for improving outcomes for low-income students through increased socioeconomic

diversity.

• $115 million for Magnet Schools, an increase of $18.4 million or almost 19 percent, to 

support a new competition, under the reauthorized program, through which the Department 

would prioritize projects that promote meaningful socioeconomic diversity.

• $4 billion in mandatory funding over 3 years for Computer Science for All State grants that 

would stimulate and advance comprehensive State efforts to offer rigorous coursework to all 

students in preschool through grade 12, with a focus on serving students in under-resourced 

schools and communities (including in rural and urban areas) and improving participation by 

student groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics (STEM) fields. Grants would support: State plans for ensuring that all high 

schools offer at least one rigorous computer science course; the development and 

implementation of State-selected, evidence-based STEM curricula in preschool through 

grade 8 that lay the groundwork for student success in high school; preparation and 

professional development for computer science teachers; and increasing access for 

underserved and disadvantaged students to other rigorous and advanced courses and 

programs, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses and dual 

or concurrent enrollment programs.

• $100 million for a proposed Computer Science for All Development Grants program that 

would promote innovative strategies to provide high-quality instruction and other learning 

opportunities in computer science (including computer programming and related skills such 

as computational thinking) in preschool through grade 12. Grants would focus on identifying 

and testing computer science instructional models that expand access to these opportunities 

for all students, but particularly for high school students in underserved communities, 

including in urban and rural areas, or who are from groups historically underrepresented in 

STEM fields.

• $180 million for the Education Innovation and Research program, an increase of $60 million, 

or 50 percent, for the successor to the Investing in Innovation (i3) program to expand 

support for evidence-based initiatives to develop, validate, and scale up effective education 

interventions that will help States and LEAs meet ESEA requirements. In particular, this 

increase would support greater numbers of the larger Scale-Up awards for activities with a 

strong evidence base, building on the results of Development and Validation grants made in 

previous years, significantly expanding the benefits of proven interventions to more schools 

and students. In addition, a portion of the requested funds would be used to support 
6

activities to be carried out by the proposed Advanced Research Projects Agency-Education 

(ARPA-ED).

• $128 million for Promise Neighborhoods, an increase of $55 million or nearly 75 percent, to 

support up to 15 new competitive grants to help distressed communities implement a 

continuum of effective family and community services, strong family supports, and 

comprehensive education reforms designed to improve the educational and life outcomes 

for children and youth from birth through college. 

• $80 million for a new Next Generation High Schools program to promote the whole school 

redesign of the high school experience through competitive grants to LEAs and their 

partners. The program would support innovative models that personalize teaching and

promote active learning for students, and that enable secondary schools to adopt new 

approaches for engaging, preparing, and inspiring college- and career-ready students. The 

proposal would focus particularly on school models that are designed to engage and expand 

opportunities for girls and other groups underrepresented in STEM fields.

Expanding Support for Teachers and School Leaders

The Administration’s 2017 request includes a set of initiatives to help States, LEAs, institutions 

of higher education (IHEs), and other partners address all phases of teachers’ and school 

leaders’ careers, including innovative approaches to how we recruit, prepare, support, develop, 

retain, and reward effective teachers and leaders. The Department’s investments in this area 

are also intended to advance a key equity goal: ensuring that all students have access to 

effective teachers and leaders. In particular, our request emphasizes preparing and rewarding 

talented teachers who work in high-need districts and schools. Key proposals include:

• $1 billion for a mandatory RESPECT: Best Job in the World program, which would support

the redesign of an estimated 200 high-need schools, based on educator feedback, to create

models that transform these schools into the best places to advance a career in education

and thereby attract and retain talented and effective teachers and school leaders. The 

program would make grants to States, which would subgrant funds to LEAs to (1) support 

locally developed proposals that would increase compensation for effective teachers and 

school leaders in high-need schools and provide career advancement opportunities for 

effective teachers; (2) provide the resources, data, and time to help teachers improve 

instruction and meet student needs; and (3) improve working conditions and create school 

climates conducive to teaching and learning.

• $2.25 billion for the reauthorized ESEA Title II, Part A Supporting Effective Instruction State 

Grants program to support ongoing State and local efforts to ensure that every child has 

access to effective teachers. Funds may be used to implement educator evaluation 

systems that provide meaningful feedback and support to teachers and school leaders,

prepare educators to implement CCR standards, and attract and retain the best teachers 

and leaders in high-need schools.

• $250 million for a reauthorized Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants program, an 

increase of $20 million or almost 9 percent, for awards to States; LEAs, including charter 

LEAs; the Bureau of Indian Education; and consortia of those entities with nonprofit or 

for-profit agencies to develop, implement, improve, or expand human capital management 
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systems and performance-based compensation systems that focus on recruitment, 

development, and retention of excellent educators in high-need schools in order to raise 

student academic achievement and close achievement gaps.

• $125 million for a proposed Teacher and Principal Pathways program, which would make 

competitive grants to institutions of higher education and other nonprofit entities to support 

the creation and expansion of high-quality teacher and principal preparation programs. This 

investment would significantly expand the diversity and number of new teachers and 

principals who have high-quality, evidence-based training and preparation for their important 

roles in high-need districts.

• $30 million for the reauthorized School Leader Recruitment and Support program, an 

increase of $13.6 million or 83 percent, to improve the recruitment, preparation, placement, 

support, and retention of effective principals and other school leaders in high-need schools.

• $100 million for the reauthorized Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED)

program, an increase of $6 million over the comparable 2016 level, to expand support for 

State and local efforts to improve teacher and principal effectiveness and help ensure that 

all students have equitable access to effective teachers and principals. The program would 

make grants primarily to institutions of higher education and national nonprofit organizations 

for projects that provide evidence-based professional development activities and prepare 

teachers and principals from nontraditional preparation and certification routes to serve in 

high-need LEAs.

• $10 million for a proposed Teach to Lead program, based on the initial success of teacher 

leadership projects executed through the ongoing Teach to Lead initiative, that would

provide direct support for teacher-designed, teacher-led projects implementing innovative 

strategies with the potential for wider impact on improving student outcomes. Projects 

would be designed to improve student outcomes for all students in high-need schools or 

target the educational needs of low-achieving students, build the evidence base for effective 

practices, and potentially leverage more effective use of ESEA formula grant funds. 

• A proposal to expand and increase teacher loan forgiveness, by providing up to $25,000 in 

loan forgiveness for teachers graduating from an effective preparation program who serve in 

low-income schools, starting in 2021. This proposal would consolidate various 

postsecondary assistance programs available for teachers, such as TEACH grants and the 

current teacher loan forgiveness program, into a single loan forgiveness program.

Improving Access, Affordability, and Student Outcomes in Postsecondary Education

At a time when the economy is changing faster than ever before, real opportunity requires that 

every American have access to the postsecondary education and training needed to find a 

good-paying job. President Obama believes that we must help many more Americans graduate 

from college and the Administration is proud of its historic investments in higher education, 

increasing total aid available to students by over $65 billion from 2008 to 2017. Continuing to 

make college more accessible and affordable—including more tuition-free degrees—is part of 

serving our students better. But far too many students never complete their degree—only 

60 percent of those enrolled in a bachelor's degree program complete their education. Even for 

those who do complete, at least one-third take longer than expected to graduate, forcing them 
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to carry additional costs and leave school with higher debt burdens. That is why a shift is 

needed toward a new focus on outcomes in higher education so that both students and the 

Nation can thrive in the global economy. Accordingly, the Budget focuses on investing in 

reforms and innovations that will help advance access, affordability, and completion.

• $1.26 billion in 2017 for America's College Promise, which would create a new partnership 

with States to make 2 years of community college free for responsible students, letting 

students earn the first half of a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree and earn skills 

needed in the workforce at no cost. Grants would also be provided to 4-year Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to provide 

new low-income students, including community college transfers, with up to 2 years at a 

4-year college at zero or significantly reduced tuition.

• $1.33 billion in 2017 for Pell for Accelerated Completion, to allow full-time students the 

opportunity to earn a third semester of Pell Grants in an academic year, better meeting the 

diverse needs of today’s students and enabling them to finish faster by taking additional 

courses year-round. Many full-time students exhaust their annual Pell eligibility after just 

two semesters and, as a result, are unable to pay for summer courses and must wait until 

the beginning of the next academic year to continue their studies.

• $689 million for an increase in Pell Grant for students taking at least 15 credits in a 

semester, to create an incentive for students to take enough credits for on-time degree 

completion. Under the proposal, students would receive a $300 increase in their annual Pell 

Grant if they take 15 credits per semester in an academic year. The higher grant would 

encourage students to take the credits needed to finish an associate degree in 2 years 

(60 credits) or a bachelor's degree in 4 years (120 credits). Finishing faster means more 

students will complete their education at a lower cost and likely with less student debt. 

• $548 million in mandatory budget authority for the College Opportunity and Graduation 

Bonus program, which would support colleges that successfully enroll and graduate on time

a significant number of low- and moderate-income students, and, those colleges that 

improve their performance on this important metric. 

• Full funding for the Pell Grant maximum award ($5,935 in award year 2017–2018, effectively 

$6,235 for those taking at least 15 credit hours per semester) and continuing to index the 

Pell grant to inflation indefinitely beyond 2017 with mandatory funding to protect and sustain 

its value for future generations.

• Reforming the campus-based student aid programs to target those institutions that enroll 

and graduate higher numbers of Pell-eligible students and offer affordable and quality 

education and training such that graduates can obtain employment and repay their 

educational debt.

• Expanding postsecondary opportunity to incarcerated individuals eligible for release through 

the Second Chance Pell proposal that would restore their Pell eligibility, with the goal of 

helping them get jobs, support their families, turn their lives around, and strengthen their 

communities.
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• Simplifying the FAFSA by eliminating burdensome and unnecessarily complex questions to 

make it easier for students and families to access Federal student aid and afford a 

postsecondary education.

• Improving and streamlining income-driven repayment and creating a single, simple, and 

better targeted plan for borrowers, while helping them manage their debt, as well as 

simplifying and strengthening teacher loan forgiveness. 

• Protecting students and taxpayers by restoring the restriction on the share of a for-profit 

institution’s revenues that can be derived from Federal sources from 90 to 85 percent and 

including all Federal aid in the calculation.

• $100 million for the First in the World program for competitive awards to support the 

development, validation, and scaling up of innovative, promising, and evidence-based 

strategies to improve postsecondary completion rates for high-need students, as well as

rigorous evaluations to test the effectiveness of these strategies when implemented in 

varied settings and contexts. 

• $30 million for the HBCU and MSI Innovation for Completion Fund, a new competitive grant 

program to foster innovative, evidence-based, student-centered strategies and interventions 

to increase the number of low-income students and students of color completing degree 

programs.

• $900 million for the Federal TRIO programs to enable the Department to provide funding for 

nearly 3,000 TRIO projects serving secondary and postsecondary students and adults, while 

also supporting a new TRIO Demonstration initiative to support the implementation and 

dissemination of evidence-based college access and success strategies.

• $607 million for Adult Education to assist adults without a high school diploma, or its

equivalent, to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for 

postsecondary education, employment, and economic self-sufficiency. 

• $75 million for the American Technical Training Fund, a new competitive grant program 

designed to support the development, operation, and expansion of innovative, evidencebased, tuition-free, short-term, or accelerated job training to increase the number of students 

completing degree programs that enable low-income youth and adults to enter and complete 

career pathways that lead to jobs in high-demand industries. Programs would be free to 

participants, and grantees would be required to waive tuition and fees for students on a 

“first dollar” basis. This initiative would be jointly administered by ED and the Department of 

Labor.

Promoting Greater Use of Evidence and Data

Over the course of this Administration, the Department of Education has pioneered efforts that

encourage grantees and practitioners to use evidence and data in ways that improve student 

outcomes. The Department has launched evidence-based grant programs, such as Investing in 

Innovation (i3) and First in the World (FITW), and has significantly scaled up the use of 

evidence-based grantmaking. In close partnership with the Institute of Education Sciences 
10

(IES), grantees and researchers are working together to draw from—and expand—the body of 

high-quality research about what works in education. 

The 2017 Budget would build on these critical initiatives. The request for IES would be used to 

improve evidence-based decisionmaking at all levels by increasing funding for research awards 

that build the evidence base for what works in education. The priority projects outlined in the 

Budget would also increase the transparency of education data, building on the lessons learned 

from the new College Scorecard, launched in September 2015. The College Scorecard 

provides students, parents, and other higher education stakeholders with information about

college costs, financial aid, and graduation rates at postsecondary institutions. Finally, the 

Budget would strengthen the Department’s dissemination efforts, so that practitioners have

greater access to the data and research they need, in digestible formats, to inform everyday 

decisions. The Budget includes:

• $209.3 million for the Research, Development, and Dissemination (RDD) program, an 

increase of $14.3 million or 7 percent, to expand efforts to identify effective strategies for 

improving student learning in early childhood, K–12, postsecondary, and adult education 

and disseminate this information to policymakers and practitioners to empower them to 

improve student learning and narrow achievement gaps. 

• $125.4 million for the Statistics program, an increase of $13.4 million or nearly 12 percent, to 

would allow the Department to collect critical and timely information on a wide range of highpriority policy issues, including student loan repayment and defaults, global competitiveness, 

and early childhood education. 

• Cross-cutting budget support for InformED, an initiative launched in 2016, that builds on the 

success of the new College Scorecard by making the Department’s data and research 

across the education spectrum more available—and actionable—for internal users and for 

the public. The 2017 Budget includes $15 million to support InformED, including funds 

under Program Administration ($1.5 million), Statistics ($.5 million), and Statewide 

Longitudinal Data Systems ($13 million) to build new infrastructure to manage the collection, 

quality, release, and analysis of data in innovative and effective ways. 
11

II. THE 2017 EDUCATION BUDGET BY PROGRAM AREA

A. HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING

Overview

The Administration’s 2017 Budget renews President Obama’s call for universal preschool, 

supported by a 10-year, $75 billion mandatory proposal to expand access to high-quality 

preschool through a Federal-State cost-sharing partnership that would guarantee universal 

preschool access to every 4-year-old from low- and moderate-income families and create 

incentives for States to serve additional children from middle-class families.

The Federal role in education has long been dedicated to closing the achievement gaps often 

experienced by students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English Learners, 

and racial and ethnic minorities. While we have seen some progress in recent years, these 

gaps remain unacceptably wide, diminishing the life prospects for far too many children, often 

denying them their full share of the American dream, and, at the same time, slowing the growth

and progress of our Nation.

It is well-established that these achievement gaps begin before most children start school. For 

example, studies show that children from low-income families begin kindergarten, on average, 

12 to 14 months behind their peers in language development and pre-reading skills. We also 

know that children who attend high-quality preschool are better prepared for school, less likely 

to experience grade retention, more likely to score higher on reading and math assessments in 

the elementary grades, and more likely to graduate from high school than children who do not 

attend such programs. Moreover, these benefits are particularly strong for children from lowincome families.

And it’s not just children who benefit from the educational gains of high-quality preschool; longterm studies show that for every $1 invested in high-quality preschool, taxpayers can save 

nearly $9 in future costs due to reduced remedial education costs, increased labor productivity, 

and reduced crime. 

In response to such data, many States and communities have launched their own efforts to 

expand the availability of preschool programs. Nevertheless, roughly one-third of 4-year-olds 

from low-income families are not enrolled in any preschool program, and the quality of existing 

programs varies widely. Fewer than 3 out of 10 4-year-olds are enrolled in high-quality 

programs.

The President’s 2017 Budget request includes, in addition to the mandatory Preschool for All 

proposal, a discretionary Preschool Development Grants program. This program is funded 

through and administered by the Department of Education in partnership with the Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS) from fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2016, is now included in 

the President’s 2017 budget request for HHS, consistent with section 9212 of the Every Student 

Succeeds Act of 2015.
12

Preschool for All (mandatory)

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $1,300.0

The request includes $1.3 billion in mandatory funding to launch a 10-year, $75 billion 

investment in Preschool for All, a Federal-State partnership that would enable States to provide 

access to high-quality preschool for all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families. 

This proposal recognizes that high-quality preschool can provide the foundation for children’s 

success in school and help eliminate the school readiness gap between children from low- and 

higher-income families. Preschool for All would award Federal funds as an incentive for States 

to provide universal access to high-quality preschool for low- and moderate-income 4-year-olds. 

State Preschool for All initiatives would include the following elements: (1) high qualifications for 

staff, including a bachelor of arts degree for teachers; (2) professional development for teachers 

and staff; (3) low staff-child ratios and small class sizes; (4) a full-day program; 

(5) developmentally appropriate, evidence-based curricula and learning environments that are 

aligned with State early learning and development standards; (6) individual accommodations 

and supports for children; (7) instructional staff salaries that are comparable to those for K–12 

instructional staff; (8) ongoing program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement; (9) onsite 

comprehensive services for children; and (10) evidence-based health and safety standards.

Allocations to States would be based on States’ relative share of 4-year-olds from families at or 

below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level. States already serving all 4-year-olds could use 

the funds to provide high-quality, full-day kindergarten for children from low- and moderateincome families or, if this is already provided, to provide high-quality preschool programs for 

3-year-olds from families at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level. The Federal 

Government would assume a significant share of the program costs in the first years of the 

program, with States gradually assuming more responsibility over time.

Preschool Development Grants

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $250.0 $250.0 —

NOTE: Funds were appropriated under the Fund for the Improvement of Education in fiscal years 2015 and 

2016. The Department of Health and Human Services’ request for fiscal year 2017 includes $350 million for both 

new and continuing Preschool Development Grant awards.

The Administration is seeking $350 million for Preschool Development Grants as part of its 

2017 request for HHS, consistent with the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 

2015, which transferred the funding for the program to HHS. The request includes $250 million 

for the fourth and final year of funding for the 18 current PDG grantees and $100 million for new 

awards under the ESSA authority to improve coordination in early learning systems, increase 

the participation of children from low- and moderate-income households in high-quality 

preschool, and increase program quality. HHS and ED will work closely together to jointly 

administer the reauthorized program and will develop a Memorandum of Understanding that 

includes joint staffing of Preschool Development Grant implementation and ensures a smooth 

transition for all grantees. The Preschool Development Grants program was first launched in 

fiscal year 2014, and included grants to create or expand high-quality preschool programs that 
13

serve 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families. The program made Development 

Grants for the purpose of building or expanding high-quality preschool systems and Expansion 

Grants to scale up high-quality programs in targeted high-need communities that could serve as 

models for the Preschool for All initiative. 

In addition, the Administration’s Budget increases funding for special education programs that 

serve children from birth through age 5. The request includes a $45 million increase for the 

Grants for Infants and Families (IDEA, Part C) program to assist States in providing high-quality 

early intervention services to approximately 352,000 infants and toddlers with disabilities and 

their families, and a $35 million increase in the Preschool Grants (IDEA, Part B, Section 619) 

program to provide special education and related services to children ages 3 through 5. The 

Administration’s request would reserve $15 million in Part C funds to make competitive grants to 

partnerships of public and private entities to support community-based model demonstration 

projects that would focus on expanding early screening, referral, and early intervention services 

to infants and toddlers eligible for Part C and those who are at-risk, but not eligible for Part C,

and their families. The Administration is also requesting additional flexibility to allow LEAs to 

provide coordinated early intervening services (CEIS) to children ages 3 through 5. 
14

B. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Overview

The 2017 request for elementary and secondary education reflects the reauthorization of the 

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 

(ESSA), which reauthorized the ESEA for the first time in 14 years and eliminated many of the 

prescriptive and obsolete requirements of the previous authorization, the No Child Left Behind 

Act. 

The reauthorized ESEA includes key reforms that the Administration has championed and that 

many States and districts have implemented in recent years. In particular, the reauthorized law 

helps to ensure educational opportunity for all students by:

• Holding all students to high academic standards that prepare them for success in college 

and careers;

• Requiring that, when students fall behind, steps are taken to help them, and their 

schools, improve, with a particular focus on the lowest-performing 5 percent of Title I 

schools, high schools with low graduation rates, and schools where subgroups, including 

students from low-income families, English Learners, students with disabilities, and 

students of color, are falling behind;

• Empowering State and local decisionmakers to continue to refine their own systems for 

school improvement;

• Encouraging review and elimination of unnecessary tests, consistent with the 

Administration’s Testing Action Plan, while continuing to require annual, comparable 

statewide assessments so that parents and educators have the information they need to 

make sure children are making progress;

• Supporting the replication and expansion of high-performing charter schools for 

high-need students, including those that emphasize strategies for increasing racial and 

socioeconomic diversity;

• Authorizing continuation of key reform programs backed by the Administration, include 

reauthorized versions of the Investing in Innovation (i3) program, the Teacher Incentive 

Fund, Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED), and Promise 

Neighborhoods; and

• Continuing to support meaningful efforts to provide more children with access to 

high-quality preschool by authorizing Preschool Development Grants, which is funded 

through HHS and jointly administered by HHS and ED.

The Administration’s 2017 request would support these activities as well as other key 

Administration priorities. For example, the $15.4 billion request for Title I Grants to Local 

Educational Agencies (LEAs) includes a $450 million increase that would support State and 

local efforts to ensure that all students meet challenging, State-determined college- and careerready standards. A portion of the increase would provide supplemental funds to address the 

challenge of turning around the Nation’s lowest-performing schools. A $403 million request for 
15

State Assessments, an increase of $25 million, would help pay for implementation of the annual 

assessments required by the ESEA while also supporting State and local audits of assessment 

systems to reduce unnecessary testing. An $800 million request for English Language 

Acquisition State Grants—up $63 million or 8.5 percent—would support State and local efforts 

to ensure that English Learners meet the same challenging academic standards as other 

students. A $15 million increase for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program 

would help school districts meet the needs of homeless students. The request also provides 

$500 million in first-time funding for flexible Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants 

under a reauthorized Title IV, Part A of the ESEA.

In addition to these increases supporting equal educational opportunity, the 2017 request for 

elementary and secondary education includes several discretionary grant proposals targeting 

specific equity-related needs. First, a new Stronger Together initiative would award $120 million 

in competitive grants to school districts that are interested in exploring voluntary ways to foster 

socioeconomic diversity or that already have developed such strategies and are ready to begin 

implementation. A $115 million request for Magnet Schools, up more than $18 million, would 

support a new competition giving priority to projects that promote socioeconomic diversity. The 

request also includes $128 million for the reauthorized Promise Neighborhoods program, an 

increase of almost $55 million for new competitive grants to support distressed communities in 

implementing comprehensive, place-based reforms designed to improve the educational and life 

outcomes for children and youth from birth through college. A $30 million increase for Special 

Programs for Indian Children for the Administration’s Native Youth Community Projects would 

provide dedicated support for similar projects in high-need American Indian and Alaska Native 

communities.

The 2017 request also provides expanded funding to increase the access of students in 

high-need districts and schools to effective teachers and leaders and help ensure teachers have 

the support necessary to be successful in the classroom. The $1 billion mandatory request for 

RESPECT: Best Job in the World would support a nationwide effort to dramatically change the 

ability of high-need schools to attract and retain talented, committed, and accomplished 

teachers by transforming up to 200 of these schools into the best places to begin and advance a 

career in education while significantly improving outcomes for students. The reauthorized 

Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants program, the successor to the Teacher Incentive

Fund, would provide $250 million to support evidence-based initiatives to strengthen State and 

local systems for recruiting, developing, and retaining effective teachers and principals in 

high-need districts and schools. The reauthorized School Leader Recruitment and Support 

program, the successor to the School Leadership program, would make available $30 million—

an increase of $13.6 million or 83 percent—to strengthen school leadership. A $10 million 

request for the new Teach to Lead program would provide direct support for teacher-designed, 

teacher-led projects implementing innovative strategies that improve student outcomes. The 

request also includes $10 million in first-time funding for the newly authorized STEM Master 

Teacher Corps program, which would help improve access to high-quality STEM instruction for 

historically underserved groups of students, such as girls, minorities, low-income students, and

students with disabilities.

A key Administration priority for fiscal year 2017 is expanding access to high-quality computer 

science coursework and instruction in K–12 education. The 2017 request includes $100 million 

in discretionary funding for new Computer Science for All Development Grants to districts to 

promote innovative strategies to provide high-quality instruction and other learning opportunities 

in computer science (including computer programming and related skills such as computational 

thinking) in preschool through grade 12, with a priority on expanding access to computer 
16

science for traditionally underrepresented students. A companion new mandatory Computer 

Science for All program would provide $4 billion over 3 years to increase access to K–12 

computer science and other rigorous STEM coursework by training teachers, expanding access 

to high-quality instructional materials and online courses, and building effective regional 

partnerships and collaborations. The request also includes $80 million for a new Next 

Generation High Schools program that would promote the whole-school transformation of the 

high school experience in order to provide students with academic and career-related learning 

experiences that prepare them to transition to postsecondary education and careers, including 

careers in STEM fields.

Finally, the $180 million request for the Education Innovation and Research program, up 

$60 million over the 2016 level, would build on the success of its predecessor, the Investing in 

Innovation (i3) program, in developing, validating, and scaling up effective education practices 

and strategies. Furthermore, this investment would support implementation of ESSA provisions 

requiring States and school districts to use evidence-based interventions in schools identified for 

comprehensive support and improvement and targeted support and improvement.

Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $14,409.8 $14,909.8 $15,359.8

Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies provide supplemental education funding, especially 

in high-poverty areas, for local programs that provide extra academic support to help students in 

high-poverty schools meet challenging State academic standards. The program serves nearly 

24 million students in more than half of all public schools, including approximately two-thirds of 

the Nation’s elementary schools. Title I Grants to LEAs also provide the foundation for the 

ESEA’s accountability system, which emphasizes State and local responsibilities in the areas of 

standards and assessments, measuring student academic progress, and supporting school 

improvement to provide all students equitable access to a high-quality education and close 

achievement gaps.

The increase proposed for 2017 recognizes the challenges that States, school districts, and 

schools continue to face in ensuring that more students served under the program meet 

challenging college- and career-ready standards. In addition, a portion of the funds requested 

above the program’s authorized funding level would support local efforts to significantly improve 

outcomes in the lowest-performing schools.

Title I gives local districts and schools flexibility in using Federal funds to support instructional 

strategies and methods that best meet local needs, including the “targeted assistance” model 

that supplements the regular education program for individual children deemed most in need of 

special assistance, or the “schoolwide” model that allows schools to use Title I funds in 

combination with other Federal, State, and local funds to improve the overall instructional 

program for all children in a school. Schools in which poor children account for at least 

40 percent of enrollment are eligible to operate schoolwide programs, and under the amended 

ESEA, States also may grant waivers to operate these programs to schools not meeting the 

schoolwide eligibility requirements. In the 2013–2014 school year, approximately 

43,500 schools, or 77 percent of all Title I schools, operated schoolwide programs, which 

accounted for approximately 95 percent of participating students.
17

The amended ESEA encourages the use of Title I funds to strengthen the academic program of 

participating schools, including by establishing preschool programs and dual or concurrent 

secondary/postsecondary enrollment programs for eligible students and requires ongoing 

professional development for staff working with disadvantaged students, as well as activities 

designed to increase parental involvement. 

State Assessments

(BA in millions)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

State Grants ......................................................... $369.1 $369.1 $350.8

Assessment System Audits 0.0 0.0 18.2

Competitive Assessment Grants.......................... 8.9 8.9 34.0

Total ........................................................ 378.0 378.0 403.0

Annual, high-quality statewide assessments provide parents and educators with the information 

they need to enable their students to be successful and make progress towards attainment of 

college- and career-ready academic standards. The request for the reauthorized State 

Assessments program includes a $25 million increase that would provide resources to help 

States efficiently and effectively meet the assessment requirements of the ESEA, which are 

aimed at ensuring that all students graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills they 

need to be successful in college and the workplace. While preserving formula grants to States 

for State Assessments, the ESSA also created a new reservation of funds to help States and 

LEAs carry out audits of their assessment systems. These audits, which are consistent with the 

President’s Testing Action Plan, are intended to eliminate unnecessary and low-quality 

assessments while protecting the vital role that good statewide assessments play in measuring 

student progress, improving outcomes for all learners, and ensuring equity. The request also 

includes a significant increase in funding for Competitive Assessment Grants, the successor to 

the Enhanced Assessment Grants program, to support projects designed to spur innovation in 

assessment design and delivery and to help States address pressing needs they have identified 

for developing and implementing the next generation of their assessment systems.

Education Innovation and Research

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. $120.0 $120.0 $180.0

The Education Innovation and Research (EIR) program, the successor to the Investing in 

Innovation (i3) program, would continue to support innovative and proven approaches that 

address persistent education challenges while also building knowledge of what works in 

education. The EIR program incorporates i3’s tiered-evidence framework that supports larger 

awards for projects with the strongest evidence base as well as promising earlier-stage projects 

that are willing to undergo rigorous evaluation. Grantees must provide matching funds equal to 

10 percent of their grant award (in cash or in-kind) from Federal, State, local, or private sources. 

The $60 million increase proposed for fiscal year 2017 would allow the reauthorized program to 

fund more high-quality applications not only to build evidence of effectiveness but to 

demonstrate the feasibility of scaling effective interventions to reach more students and schools. 

In particular, the increased funding would support larger awards that the Department anticipates 

making as applicants seek to build on the positive results of i3 Development (early phase) and 
18

Validation (mid-phase) grants made in previous years that are ready to be taken to scale. 

Increasing the number of Scale Up grants would bring the benefits of proven interventions to 

more students and schools and help address the growing demand from States, districts, and 

school leaders for effective tools and strategies that can help close achievement gaps and 

improve student outcomes. Expanding the number of such proven interventions is critical to 

meeting the requirement under the reauthorized ESEA that States and school districts use 

evidence-based interventions in schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement 

and targeted support and improvement. In addition, a portion of the requested funds would be 

used to support activities to be carried out by the proposed Advanced Research Projects 

Agency-Education (ARPA-ED).

RESPECT: Best Job in the World (mandatory)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $1,000.0

The Administration proposes $1 billion in one-time mandatory funding for the RESPECT:

Best Job in the World (Best Job) initiative, which would support a nationwide effort to 

dramatically change the ability of high-need schools to attract and retain talented, committed, 

and accomplished teachers. The goal is to support comprehensive, locally developed efforts to 

transform up to 200 of these schools into the best places to begin and advance a career in 

education and thereby improve their ability to provide students with equitable access to effective 

teachers. The program would award competitive grants of up to $250 million to State 

educational agencies (SEAs), which, in turn, would make subgrants to districts with schools 

identified by SEAs for comprehensive support and improvement under the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act. Eligible districts would undertake a needs assessment, including 

educator and community stakeholder input, aimed at identifying incentives and policies for 

attracting and retaining effective teachers and school leaders and dramatically changing school 

environments for students and teachers alike. 

Funds would be available for use over a 5-year period and would be targeted to (1) creating 

advancement opportunities for effective teachers in high-need schools, (2) enhancing teachers’ 

effectiveness through teacher-led professional development opportunities, and (3) leveraging 

teacher leadership to improve working conditions and create school climates conducive to 

teaching and learning. Each of these strategies is aligned with research, the equity goals of the 

ESEA, and longtime demands for meaningful teacher input in designing and implementing 

effective education reforms. The program also would include strong evaluation requirements 

aimed at building the evidence base for effective strategies that could be replicated by nongrantees, consistent with the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for 

the use of evidence-based practices in schools identified for comprehensive support and 

improvement.

Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $2,349.8 $2,349.8 $2,250.0

Supporting Effective Instruction (SEI) State grants provide formula grants to SEAs and 

subgrants to LEAs to increase student achievement consistent with challenging State academic 

standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school 
19

leaders; increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective 

in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority 

students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders. SEAs and 

LEAs have flexibility to carry out a wide variety of activities, consistent with their specific needs.

States are required to reserve 95 percent of their allocations for subgrants to LEAs, except that 

they may reserve up to 3 percent of such funds for State-level activities to increase the 

effectiveness of principals and other school leaders. States may use their 5 percent share of 

allocations for a variety of activities, including the reform of teacher, principal, and other school 

leader certification and licensing; helping LEAs design and implement teacher, principal, or 

other school leader evaluation and support systems that are based, in part, on evidence of 

student academic achievement, which may include student growth; improving equitable access 

to effective teachers; creating or improving alternative routes to certification; reforming or 

improving teacher and principal preparation programs; technical assistance to LEAs; improving 

professional development; improving State reciprocity of teacher and principal certification or 

licensing; and training teachers on the appropriate use of student data. LEAs may use funds to 

develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive programs and activities to improve teacher 

and school leader quality, including rigorous and fair evaluation and support systems; 

implement initiatives to assist in recruiting, hiring, supporting, and retaining effective teachers, 

especially in low-income schools that particularly need assistance; recruit qualified individuals 

from other fields; reduce class size; provide high-quality, personalized professional 

development; and develop feedback mechanisms to improve school working conditions. 

Prior to reauthorization, the program included a set-aside of funds authorized through 

appropriations language for the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program, 

which made grants to support teacher and school leader enhancement projects with evidence of 

effectiveness. This set-aside totaled approximately $54 million in fiscal year 2015 and 

$94 million in fiscal year 2016. The ESSA incorporated a separate authorization for the SEED 

program, and the reduced funding for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants in fiscal year 

2017 reflects the reallocation of funds to the SEED program.

Supporting Effective Educator Development 

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $100.0

The Administration requests $100 million for the reauthorized SEED program, an increase of 

$6 million from the 2016 level. The proposed increase would expand support for State and local 

efforts to improve teacher and principal effectiveness and ensure that all students have 

equitable access to effective teachers and principals. More specifically, the program would 

increase the number of effective teachers and principals by supporting grantees that would 

provide evidence-based professional development activities or prepare teachers and principals

from nontraditional preparation and certification routes to serve in high-need districts and 

schools. The SEED program previously was funded through an appropriations language setaside under the Title II, Part A Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program.
20

Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $230.0 $230.0 $250.0

This program, the successor to the Teacher Incentive Fund, would receive $250 million under 

the 2017 request, an increase of $20 million, to support an estimated 20–40 new grants to 

LEAs, State agencies, and the BIE for developing, implementing, improving, or expanding 

human capital management systems as well as performance-based compensation systems in 

high-need schools. Projects would emphasize the development and implementation of tools, 

incentives, and systems designed to develop and retain effective teachers, principals, and other 

school leaders to strengthen instruction and improve student academic outcomes.

School Leader Recruitment and Support

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $16.4 $16.4 $30.0

The School Leader Recruitment and Support program, the successor to the School Leadership 

program, funds activities to improve the recruitment, preparation, placement, support, and 

retention of effective principals and other school leaders in high-need schools. The 

2017 request, which includes an increase of $13.6 million or 83 percent over the 2016 level, 

would support grants to LEAs that serve high-need schools, SEAs, and the BIE to develop or 

implement leadership training programs, provide professional development for principals and 

other school leaders in high-need schools, and develop other evidence-based programs or 

activities for principals and other school leaders in such schools. 

Teach to Lead

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ 0 0 $10.0

The request would provide resources to build on the Administration’s Teach to Lead initiative by 

funding teacher-developed and teacher-led projects for improving student learning and school 

success. Funds would support an award to a nonprofit organization that would design and 

implement a national competition to make one-time, 3-year grants directly to teachers to support 

the development, implementation, expansion, and dissemination of projects designed to 

improve student outcomes for all students in high-need schools or that target the educational 

needs of low-achieving students.

STEM Master Teacher Corps

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ 0 0 $10.0

This new program responds to the President’s July 2012, call to create a national STEM Master 

Teacher Corps that would enlist America’s best and brightest science and math teachers to 

improve STEM education. The request would help States create leadership pathways for 

excellent STEM educators to improve STEM teaching and learning. Corps members would 
21

build their capacity to be leaders in the field and enhance the professional learning of other 

STEM teachers; identify and share promising practices in their schools, districts, and States; 

and help students excel in STEM subjects while taking on coaching and mentorship roles in 

their schools and communities.

Charter Schools Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $253.2 $333.2 $350.0

The request includes a $17 million increase for the Charter Schools Program, which makes 

grants to State entities, charter school developers, and nonprofit charter management 

organizations (CMOs) to support the start-up, replication, and expansion of effective charter 

schools serving students in preschool through grade 12. The request reflects the 

Administration’s strong commitment to build on this program’s demonstrated success in 

supporting effective school models and embraces the focus under the amended ESEA on 

strengthening charter school authorizing and oversight practices and ensuring access to 

high-quality schools for historically underserved student groups. The Department would target 

funding for new replication and expansion awards on CMOs that operate schools with racially 

and socioeconomically diverse student bodies and have had success in working with chronically 

low-performing schools, consistent with the newly authorized priorities for these grants and with 

the Administration’s broader strategy for improving outcomes for low-income students through 

increased socioeconomic diversity at the school and classroom levels. In addition, the request 

would expand the program’s national activities authority to include support for emerging 

partnerships between charter schools and LEAs with strong potential to help improve academic 

outcomes. Funds also would be used for grants to States and nonprofit entities to improve 

charter schools’ access to facilities and for national activities.

Stronger Together

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. — — $120.0

The proposed Stronger Together program is a central element of the Administration’s efforts to 

remove the barriers to learning faced by children living in concentrated poverty through support 

of voluntary community efforts to increase school socioeconomic diversity in preschool through 

grade 12. The Department would make competitive grants to LEAs or consortia of LEAs that 

have significant achievement gaps and socioeconomic segregation within or across districts and 

that propose either to embark on a planning process to study and develop options for 

addressing socioeconomic isolation in schools or to implement plans that have already been 

developed and have community support. Educational service agencies or other regional 

educational authorities serving such LEAs may also apply for grants. 

Funds would support two types of grants: 1-year planning grants that enable grantees to 

conduct activities, including intensive public engagement, to analyze socioeconomic 

segregation and develop or refine a plan for increasing socioeconomic diversity in their schools; 

and multi-year implementation grants for applicants with well-designed plans that have strong 

community support and include ambitious goals to improve diversity and reduce or eliminate 

socioeconomic isolation. Implementation grantees could use funds for such activities as: 

conducting robust community outreach and family engagement activities; revising school 
22

boundary and assignment policies to establish open or controlled school-choice zones spanning 

a variety of neighborhoods across traditional school district lines; revising school feeder 

patterns; creating or expanding schools capable of attracting students from diverse 

backgrounds (including charter and magnet schools); reorganizing or restructuring existing 

schools, such as through grade reconfiguration, to promote inclusive environments and attract a 

diverse group of students and families; promoting voluntary public school choice policies that 

have the effect of diversifying the socioeconomic composition of the grantee’s schools; 

recruiting, hiring, and training additional teachers and other instructional and support staff; and 

activities to mitigate within-school segregation, including providing ongoing professional 

development. Grantees may also choose to pursue or initiate a sustainable transportation plan 

for bringing students to and from schools of choice. 

Magnet Schools Assistance

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $91.6 $96.6 $115.0

Under this program, the Department makes competitive 5-year grants to support high-quality 

magnet schools in LEAs implementing a desegregation plan. The request would support a new 

competition, under the reauthorized program, through which the Department would prioritize 

projects that promote meaningful socioeconomic diversity.

Promise Neighborhoods

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $56.8 $73.3 $128.0

The request provides an increase of nearly $55 million to support up to 15 new awards to local 

partnerships to implement comprehensive, neighborhood-based plans for meeting the cradle-tocareer educational, health, and social service needs of children and families in high-poverty 

communities. The theory of action behind the reauthorized Promise Neighborhoods program is 

that providing both effective, achievement-oriented schools and strong systems of support to 

children and youth in poverty offers them the best hope for overcoming poverty and building a 

better life. The demand for Promise Neighborhoods grants has long exceeded available 

funding; the request would build on the increase provided by Congress in 2016 and reinforce 

the Administration’s commitment to combatting deep-rooted educational, social, health, and 

economic challenges in some of our Nation’s poorest and most distressed communities.

Full-Service Community Schools

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $9.7 $10.0 $10.0

The request supports 21 continuation awards for grants awarded in fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 

This program awards grants to LEAs or the Bureau of Indian Education, in partnership with 

community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, or other public or private entities, to 

provide comprehensive and coordinated academic, social, and health services for students, 

students’ family members, and community members that will result in improved educational 
23

outcomes for children in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty, childhood obesity, academic 

failure, and involvement of community members in the justice system. 

21st Century Community Learning Centers

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $1,151.7 $1,166.7 $1,000.0

The request would provide the authorized level of funding to support State and local efforts to 

implement in-school and out-of-school strategies for providing students, particularly those in 

high-need schools, the additional time, support, and enrichment activities needed to improve 

their achievement. Program funds may be used to support activities that are included as part of 

an expanded learning time program, an evidence-based strategy for improving student 

achievement.

Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $500.0

The newly authorized, Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants 

program would provide flexible grant funds that LEAs may use to improve student outcomes 

through a wide range of authorized activities supporting a well-rounded education, safe and 

healthy students, and expanded use of educational technology. Under the statute, the 

Department would allocate funds to States by a formula based on each State’s share of Title I, 

Part A funds and States would make subgrants on the same basis to LEAs. LEAs must 

prioritize activities that support: schools with the greatest needs as determined by the LEA; 

schools with the highest concentrations of educationally disadvantaged children; schools that 

are identified for comprehensive support and improvement (i.e., are among the lowest-achieving 

schools) or implementing targeted support and improvement plans (i.e., have consistently 

underperforming student subgroups) under Title I of the ESEA as amended by the ESSA; or 

schools that are identified as persistently dangerous schools. LEAs that receive at least 

$30,000 must spend a minimum of 20 percent of their allocations on well-rounded education 

activities, a minimum of 20 percent on activities to promote safe and healthy students, and a 

portion of remaining funds on activities promoting the effective use of educational technology. 

Because the requested funding level would result in formula-based allocations to the vast 

majority of LEAs that are insufficient to support meaningful uses of funds, the 2017 request 

includes appropriations language permitting States to make subgrants to LEAs on a competitive 

basis, to set a minimum award amount of $50,000 per year for up to 3 years, and to give priority 

to projects supporting specific, State-selected authorized activities.

Next Generation High Schools

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. — — $80.0

This program would promote the whole-school transformation of the high school experience in 

order to provide students with challenging and relevant academic and career-related learning 
24

experiences that prepare them to transition to postsecondary education and careers. Building 

on the first-ever White House Summit on Next Generation High Schools, this $80 million 

proposal would make competitive awards to LEAs in partnership with institutions of higher 

education and other entities, such as nonprofit and community-based organizations, 

businesses, and other industry-related organizations.

Next Generation High Schools would provide students with the academic foundation and skills 

they need to be successful, ensuring that all students in redesigned high schools participate in 

project- or problem-based learning and have the opportunity to earn early college credit while 

also engaging in work-related experiences or postsecondary learning opportunities that build 

career-ready competencies. Accomplishing these goals would help improve longer term 

outcomes for high school students, including high school graduation rates, rates of enrollment in 

postsecondary studies without the need to take remedial courses, postsecondary completion 

rates, and rates of completion of industry-recognized credentials and certifications.

Improving our high schools is a critical step for ensuring that our Nation remains competitive in 

today’s global economy. Today’s high school students are tomorrow’s engineers, 

entrepreneurs, and civic leaders who must be critical thinkers and able to find solutions to 

complex and emerging challenges. High schools must provide them with a rigorous, engaging, 

and relevant education that prepares them to meet the demands of college and careers.

The Department would give priority to projects that: (1) are designed to improve readiness for 

postsecondary education and careers in STEM fields, particularly for student groups historically 

underrepresented in those fields; (2) serve areas with limited access to high-quality college and 

career opportunities such as high-poverty or rural LEAs; or (3) include partnerships with 

employers that help students attain career-related credentials.

Computer Science for All (mandatory)

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. — — $2,000.0

In recognition that computer science (CS) is now a new basic skill in today’s economy, this 

mandatory proposal, part of a broad-based Administration strategy to ensure access for all 

students to high-quality instruction in CS, would provide $4 billion over 3 years to stimulate and 

advance comprehensive State efforts to offer CS, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math 

(STEM), and other rigorous coursework to all students, but particularly for student groups 

historically underrepresented in STEM fields. Computer Science for All grants would be made 

to States in amounts based, in part, on State shares of Title I Grants to Local Educational 

Agencies. To receive a grant, a State must submit a high-quality plan that includes ensuring 

universal access to CS in high schools, implementing a rigorous curriculum and progression of 

high-quality instruction and other learning opportunities in STEM in preschool through grade 8, 

preparing and further developing computer science teachers and support staff, and increasing 

access for underserved and disadvantaged students to other rigorous and advanced courses 

and programs, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses and 

dual or concurrent enrollment programs.

Participating States would develop ambitious annual targets for increasing the number of course 

offerings in computer science and related STEM subjects in schools, which must include targets 

for reducing or eliminating gaps in offerings in underserved communities, as well as goals for 
25

increasing successful student completion of those courses, including goals for addressing gaps 

in completion for historically underserved groups such as girls, minorities, low-income students, 

and students with disabilities. States also would be encouraged to partner with one or more 

institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other public and private entities, 

including businesses and industry-affiliated organizations, to ensure alignment of their plans 

with expectations for college and careers, and leverage other Federal, State, and private 

resources to implement their projects. States would also be encouraged to expand access to 

additional STEM subjects and rigorous coursework generally.

Computer Science for All Development Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. — — $100.0

This program, the discretionary companion to the proposed mandatory Computer Science for All 

program, would help jump-start improving access to computer science and related STEM 

coursework in districts. The program would promote innovative strategies and replicable 

models for providing high-quality instruction and other learning opportunities in computer 

science in preschool through grade 12. Funds would support competitive grants to LEAs, alone, 

in consortia, or in partnership with their State, or in partnership with institutions of higher 

education, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and business or industry-related 

organizations. Grantees would leverage other Federal, State, local, or private funds to extend 

the impact of this program. The Department would make awards for up to 5 years, including a 

planning year, and grantees would use funds to implement curricular and instructional materials 

aligned to the State’s challenging standards in science and mathematics, recruit and hire 

instructional personnel, provide professional development, acquire necessary equipment and 

technology infrastructure, attract underserved students to computer science offerings, and 

disseminate information about effective instructional practices.

School Safety National Activities

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $70.0 $75.0 $90.0

This program, the successor to the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National 

Activities program, is a broad discretionary authority that authorizes activities to improve 

students’ safety and well-being, during and after the school day. The proposed $15 million 

increase would support additional Project Prevent grants to help schools in communities with 

pervasive violence break the cycle of violence as well as a new School Safety and 

Preparedness grants competition supporting the development and implementation of highquality school emergency operations plans at the local level. Other funds would be used to help 

LEAs and IHEs recover from emergencies under Project SERV (School Emergency Response 

to Violence); for dissemination, outreach, and related forms of technical assistance; for Project 

Prevent continuation grant awards to LEAs; and for School Climate Transformation Grant 

continuation awards to SEAs and LEAs.
26

Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $160.0 $190.0 $190.0

This program, the successor to the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy program, makes 

competitive awards to States to support the implementation of comprehensive State literacy 

plans, primarily through subgrants to LEAs that fund evidence-based pre-literacy and literacy 

interventions in high-need schools.

Innovative Approaches to Literacy

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $23.1 $27.0 $27.0

Funds would support competitive grants to LEAs, consortia of LEAs, the Bureau of Indian 

Education, or national nonprofit organizations, to promote programs that develop the literacy 

skills of students in low-income communities. Grantees would develop and implement school 

library programs and provide high-quality, developmentally appropriate, and up-to-date reading 

material to children and adolescents in low-income communities.

Ready to Learn Programming

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $25.7 $25.7 $25.7

The reauthorized Ready to Learn Programming would support the development and distribution 

of educational video programming for preschool and elementary school children and their 

parents, caregivers, and teachers to facilitate student academic achievement. Fiscal year 

2017 funds would be used to pay continuation costs for new awards made in fiscal year 2015.

Arts in Education

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $25.0 $27.0 $27.0

The reauthorized Arts in Education program supports projects and programs to promote arts 

education for students, including disadvantaged students, through grants to support 

development and dissemination of instructional materials and programming and professional 

development for arts educators. 

Javits Gifted and Talented Education

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $10.0 $12.0 $12.0

The reauthorized Javits Gifted and Talented Education program supports research, 

demonstration projects, innovative strategies, and other activities to build and enhance the 
27

capacity of elementary and secondary schools to identify gifted and talented students and meet 

their special educational needs. The Department makes grant or contract awards to SEAs, 

LEAs, IHEs, and other public and private agencies and organizations to carry out projects to 

fulfill this purpose, including an award to one or more IHEs or SEAs to establish a National 

Research Center for the Education of Gifted and Talented Children.

American History and Civics Academies

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — $1.8 $1.8

This program supports efforts to improve the quality of American history and civics education by 

providing intensive workshops for teachers and students. The Presidential Academies for the 

Teaching of American History and Civics offer workshops of at least 2 weeks in length to 

elementary and secondary school teachers to strengthen their knowledge through instruction 

and interaction with primary scholars and accomplished teachers in these fields. The 

Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics offer similar workshops 

to secondary school students to enrich their understanding of American history and civics.

English Language Acquisition

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $737.4 $737.4 $800.4

This program awards formula grants to States based on each State’s share of the Nation’s 

English Learners (ELs) and recent immigrant students. States must develop, in meaningful 

consultation with geographically diverse districts, statewide entrance and exit procedures for EL 

status, and must also ensure that districts annually assess the English proficiency of the EL 

students they serve. Schools use the funds to implement evidence-based language instruction 

educational programs designed to help EL students attain English language proficiency. The

program also awards grants to schools operated predominantly for Native American and Alaska 

Native students and supports national activities, including professional development for 

teachers of ELs and a clearinghouse of research-based information about instructional 

methods, strategies, and programs for ELs. The proposed $63 million increase would help 

States and school districts meet the educational needs of the growing numbers of EL students 

enrolled in their schools, including meeting challenging State academic content and student 

academic achievement standards. The 2017 request includes funding for a pilot to identify 

effective multi-generational approaches to improving literacy.

Title I State Agency Programs 

(BA in millions))

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

Migrant Education ................................................ $374.8 $374.8 $374.8

Neglected and Delinquent Education................... 47.6 47.6 47.6

Total ........................................................ 422.4 422.4 422.4
28

Migrant Education 

State Grants provide formula-based assistance in meeting the educational needs of children of 

migrant agricultural workers and fishers, including overcoming educational disruption and other 

challenges resulting from repeated moves, so that these students can meet the same academic 

standards expected of all children. A total of 347,634 children and youth qualified for services 

under the program in school year 2013–2014, and States reported serving 235,388 of those 

children and youth. The Department uses a portion of funding to improve inter- and intra-State 

coordination of migrant education activities, including State exchange of migrant student data 

records through the Migrant Student Information Exchange system. A key change for the 

program as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act requires that funds be distributed 

to States based on current data starting in fiscal year 2017.

Neglected and Delinquent Education

This Title I program provides formula grants to States in order to support education services for 

neglected and delinquent children and youth in local and State-run institutions, attending 

community day programs, and in correctional facilities. The request would help an estimated 

90,000 neglected and delinquent students return to and complete school and obtain 

employment after they are released from State institutions.

Education for Homeless Children and Youths

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $65.0 $70.0 $85.0

This program, which is authorized by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as 

amended by the ESSA, provides formula grants to States, which subgrant most funds to LEAs 

for services and activities that help homeless children enroll in, attend, and succeed in school, 

such as preschool programs, enriched supplemental instruction, before- and after-school 

programs, transportation, and health care referrals. States may reserve funds for State-level 

activities, including implementing a comprehensive State plan for the education of these 

children. The $15 million increase proposed for 2017 reflects the Administration’s commitment, 

consistent with the authorization level in the ESSA, to help States and LEAs address the

45 percent increase in the number of enrolled homeless students reported by States since 

2008. The requested increase would help ensure that States and LEAs can provide the 

services needed to improve educational outcomes for homeless children and youth, who face 

significant barriers to success.

Rural Education

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $169.8 $175.8 $175.8

The reauthorized Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) supports two programs to help 

rural school districts carry out activities to improve the quality of teaching and learning in their 

schools. The Small, Rural School Achievement program provides formula funds to rural school 

districts that serve small numbers of students, and the Rural and Low-Income School program 

provides funds to rural school districts that serve concentrations of poor students, regardless of 

the district’s size. Funds appropriated for REAP are divided equally between the two programs. 
29

The request would maintain support for rural, often geographically isolated, districts that face 

significant challenges in meeting ESEA requirements.

Indian Education

BA in millions

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

Grants to Local Educational Agencies ................. $100.4 $100.4 $100.4

Special Programs for Indian Children .................. 18.0 38.0 68.0

National Activities................................................. 5.6 5.6 6.6

Total ........................................................ 123.9 143.9 174.9

Indian Education programs supplement the efforts of States, LEAs, and Indian tribes to improve 

educational opportunities for Indian children. The programs link these efforts to broader 

educational reforms underway in States and localities in order to help ensure that Indian 

students benefit from those reforms and achieve to the same challenging academic standards 

as other students.

Grants to Local Educational Agencies provide formula grants to LEAs and to schools operated 

and supported by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education for activities to 

improve the educational achievement of Indian students. The request for Special Programs for 

Indian Children includes a $30 million increase to expand the Administration’s Native Youth 

Community Projects initiative, which makes awards to high-need American Indian and Alaska 

Native communities to ensure the college- and career-readiness of Indian students by 

supporting projects that implement culturally relevant and coordinated strategies that are 

informed by evidence and data and address the greatest in- and out-of-school barriers facing 

students. The request also provides $6.6 million for National Activities, which funds grants to 

support Native language immersion programs; State-Tribal Education Partnership grants to

build the capacity of tribal education agencies; and research, evaluation, and data collection

activities designed to fill gaps in our understanding of the educational status and needs of 

Indians and to identify educational practices that are effective with Indian students. 

Native Hawaiian Education

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $32.4 $33.4 $33.4

This program supports the provision of supplemental education services to the Native Hawaiian 

population by awarding competitive grants to eligible applicants for a variety of authorized 

activities in such areas as teacher training, family-based education, gifted and talented 

education, special education, higher education, and community-based education learning 

centers. The program also supports the activities of the Native Hawaiian Education Council, 

which helps coordinate the educational and related services and programs available to Native 

Hawaiians.
30

Alaska Native Education

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $31.5 $32.5 $32.5

This program awards competitive grants to eligible applicants to support a variety of authorized 

activities, including the development and implementation of curricula and educational programs, 

professional development activities for educators, the development and operation of home 

instruction programs that help ensure the active involvement of parents in their children’s 

education, family literacy services, student enrichment programs in science and mathematics, 

and dropout prevention programs.

Comprehensive Centers

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $48.4 $51.4 $55.4

The Comprehensive Centers provide intensive technical assistance to increase the capacity of 

State educational agencies to help districts and schools implement ESEA programs and 

requirements and meet State targets for student achievement. The current system includes 

15 regional Centers that work with SEAs within specified geographic regions along with 

7 Content Centers that provide indepth, specialized support in key areas. The program 

currently funds separate Centers focusing on: (1) standards and assessment, (2) great 

teachers and leaders, (3) school turnaround, (4) enhancing early learning outcomes, (5) collegeand career-readiness and success, (6) building State capacity and productivity, and 

(7) innovations in learning. The 2016 appropriations act authorized the provision of assistance 

to the Bureau of Indian Education and provided $1.5 million to establish a new comprehensive 

center (authorized by the ESSA) on students at risk of not attaining full literacy skills due to a 

disability; these activities would be continued in fiscal year 2017. The request would support a 

new cohort of centers to be selected through a competitive process in fiscal year 2017 that will 

reflect changing priorities and new demands resulting from the reauthorization of the ESEA. 

The increase would partially restore program funding to the 2009 level to provide more intensive 

and coordinated assistance to SEAs as well as to the Bureau of Indian Education.

Impact Aid

(BA in millions)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

Payment for Federally Connected Children:

Basic Support Payments ............................... $1,151.2 $1,168.2 $1,168.2

Payments for Children with Disabilities ......... 48.3 48.3 48.3

Facilities Maintenance.......................................... 4.8 4.8 71.6

Construction ......................................................... 17.4 17.4 17.4

Payments for Federal Property ............................ 66.8 66.8 0.0

Total ........................................................ 1,288.6 1,305.6 1,305.6

The reauthorized Impact Aid program provides financial assistance to school districts affected 

by Federal activities. The presence of certain children living on Federal property across the 

country can place a financial burden on the LEAs that educate them because such property is 
31

exempt from local property taxes, denying LEAs access to the primary source of revenue used 

by most communities to finance education. Impact Aid helps replace the lost local revenue that 

would otherwise be available to LEAs to pay for the education of these children.

The $1.17 billion request for Basic Support Payments would provide formula grants for both 

regular Basic Support Payments and Basic Support Payments for Heavily Impacted LEAs.

The $48.3 million request for Payments for Children with Disabilities would provide formula 

grants to help eligible districts meet their obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act to provide a free appropriate public education for federally connected children 

with disabilities. The $71.6 million request for Facilities Maintenance, reflecting the reallocation 

of $66.8 million in funds previously provided for Payments for Federal Property, would allow the 

Department to make nearly all repairs and upgrades to the 11 remaining schools for which it 

retains financial responsibility, thus clearing the way for transfer of these schools to the LEAs 

that operate them. The entire $17.4 million request for Construction would be used for 

competitive grants to the LEAs with the greatest need and would provide sufficient assistance to 

enable those LEAs to make major repairs and renovations. The Administration requests no 

funds for Payments for Federal Property because these payments compensate LEAs for lost 

property tax revenue due to the presence of Federal lands without regard to whether those 

districts educate any federally connected children.

Training and Advisory Services

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $6.6 $6.6 $6.6

This program supports regional Equity Assistance Centers, selected competitively, that provide 

services to school districts on issues related to discrimination based on race, gender, national 

origin, and religion. Typical activities include disseminating information on successful practices 

and legal requirements related to nondiscrimination, providing training to educators to develop 

their skills in specific areas, such as in the identification of bias in instructional materials, and 

technical assistance on selection of instructional materials. The request would support the 

second year of funding for a new cohort of Equity Assistance Center grantees, as well as the 

annual administration of a customer satisfaction survey and an analysis of its results.

Supplemental Education Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $16.7 $16.7 $16.7

The request would maintain support for Supplemental Education Grants to the Federated States 

of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), as authorized by the 

Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-188). Under this program, the 

Department transfers funds and provides recommendations on the uses of those funds to the 

Department of the Interior, which makes grants to the FSM and the RMI for educational services 

that augment the general operations of the educational systems of the two entities.
32

P.L. 108-188 eliminated RMI and FSM participation in most domestic formula grant programs 

funded by the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor, and created 

this program to supplement separate education programs under the Compact. The request 

would allow the RMI and the FSM to support programs that focus on improving the educational 

achievement of students in the two Freely Associated States.
33

C. SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

Overview

The Administration is committed to providing Americans with disabilities the opportunities and 

services they need to succeed in school, in the workplace, and in the community. The fiscal 

year 2017 Budget supports a wide range of programs that can improve educational, 

employment, and independent living outcomes for people with disabilities. 

The $13.1 billion request for Special Education programs focuses on improving educational and 

developmental outcomes for children with disabilities. The Administration is committed to 

ensuring that all children, including children with disabilities, have an equal opportunity to 

participate in a high-quality education; are expected to perform to high levels; and to the 

maximum extent possible, are prepared to lead productive, independent lives. For the Grants to 

States program, the Administration is requesting $11.9 billion, level with the fiscal year 

2016 appropriation, to maintain the Federal contribution toward meeting the excess cost of 

special education at approximately 16 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure and 

provide an estimated average of $1,777 per student for about 6.7 million children ages 

3 through 21. This funding would support special education and related services and provide 

resources to States and local educational agencies (LEAs) to focus on improving results for 

children with disabilities.

Funding for the Preschool Grants program would be increased by $35 million (for a total request 

of $403.2 million) to provide special education and related services to children ages 3 through 5. 

Under the current statute, LEAs may reserve up to 15 percent of the funds they receive under 

Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide coordinated early 

intervening services (CEIS) to children in grades kindergarten through 12. Early intervention 

can reduce the need for costlier services later in a child’s life, and this may be especially true for 

services provided during early childhood. The Administration, therefore, is requesting additional 

flexibility to allow LEAs to use funds reserved under the IDEA to provide CEIS to children ages 

3 through 5. In addition, to encourage LEAs to expand the age range of students eligible for

CEIS, the Administration is requesting a waiver of some reporting requirements in order to 

reduce burden on LEAs who opt to exercise this flexibility for children 3 through 5.

The request also includes a $45 million increase (for a total request of $503.6 million) for the 

Grants for Infants and Families (Part C) program to assist States in providing high-quality early 

intervention services to approximately 352,000 infants and toddlers with disabilities and their 

families. The Administration’s request would reserve $15 million to make competitive grants to 

partnerships of public and private entities to support community-based model demonstration 

projects. These model demonstration projects would focus on expanding early screening, 

referral, and early intervention services to infants and toddlers eligible for Part C and those who 

are at-risk, but not eligible for Part C, and their families.

The $237.1 million request for Special Education National Activities would maintain support for 

technical assistance, dissemination, training, and other activities that assist States, LEAs, 

parents, and others in improving results for children with disabilities. The request for the 

Technical Assistance and Dissemination program includes a $10 million increase to support 

grants to substantially increase the Administration’s investment in model demonstration projects 

to build the evidence-base for promising practices in critical areas such as interventions for 

students with autism that require intensive services and support. 
34

For Rehabilitation Services, the Budget provides $3.5 billion to support comprehensive and 

coordinated vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities through training, 

demonstration, and technical assistance; as well as other direct service programs to help

individuals with disabilities to live more independently in their communities. In July 2014, the 

Rehabilitation Act was reauthorized by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

(WIOA). WIOA supports the Nation’s primary programs and investments in employment 

services, workforce development, adult education, and vocational rehabilitation.

People with disabilities represent a vital and integral part of our society, and the Administration 

remains committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the opportunities to 

compete for and enjoy high-quality employment in the 21st century global economy. The 

$3.4 billion request for the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) State Grants program includes an 

increase of $6.8 million over the fiscal year 2016 mandatory level, consistent with the inflation 

increase specified in the authorizing statute, to assist States and tribal governments in 

increasing the participation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce. As an integral 

partner of the workforce development system, the VR program is the primary Federal vehicle for 

assisting individuals with disabilities, particularly individuals with the most significant disabilities, 

to prepare for, obtain, retain, or advance in high-quality employment. 

The 2017 request also includes appropriations language that would allow the Department to use 

amounts under the VR State Grants program that would otherwise return to the Treasury to 

support innovative activities aimed at improving outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The 

requested language also would provide authority for these funds to remain available for Federal 

obligation until September 30, 2018.

The Administration requests $30.5 million for the Supported Employment State Grants program, 

an increase of $3 million over the 2016 level, to assist State agencies in meeting the new 

challenges and opportunities resulting from WIOA. WIOA made several significant changes to 

this program in order to maximize the potential of individuals with the most significant 

disabilities, particularly youth, which require ongoing supports to achieve competitive integrated 

employment.

The $35.3 million request for the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals who are 

Blind program, a $2.0 million (6 percent) increase over the 2016 level, would assist States in 

meeting an anticipated increase in the demand for program services.

The Budget includes $216.7 million for special institutions for persons with disabilities, including 

$25.4 million for the American Printing House for the Blind, $70.0 million for the National 

Technical Institute for the Deaf, and $121.3 million for Gallaudet University.
35

Special Education

Grants to States

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.............................................. $11,497.8 $11,912.8 $11,912.8

Estimated average Federal share

per child (in whole dollars)................... $1,717 $1,777 $1,777

The Grants to States program, which is authorized under the IDEA, makes formula grants that 

help States pay the additional costs of providing special education and related services to 

children with disabilities aged 3 through 21 years. The request, level with the fiscal year 

2016 appropriation, would provide a per-child average of $1,777 for an estimated 6.7 million 

children with disabilities, which would maintain the Federal contribution of about 16 percent of 

the national average per pupil expenditure. 

Under the IDEA, States are required to provide a free appropriate public education to all 

children with disabilities. Services are provided in accordance with individualized education 

programs that are developed by teams that include the child’s parents; a special educator; a 

representative of the LEA; a regular educator, if appropriate; and others. In addition, services 

must be provided, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the least restrictive environment, which 

for most children means in classes with children who are not disabled. Students with disabilities 

also must be included in general State and district-wide assessments, including the 

assessments required under ESEA, and States must provide appropriate accommodations, 

where necessary, to enable children with disabilities to participate in these assessments, or 

alternate assessments for those children with the most significant cognitive disabilities who 

cannot participate in regular assessments. 

The request for Grants to States also includes $21.0 million that would be reserved for technical 

assistance to improve the capacity of States to meet the data collection requirements of the 

IDEA.

Preschool Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. $353.2 $368.2 $403.2

This program provides formula grants to help States make a free appropriate public education 

available to all children with disabilities ages 3 through 5. The request would provide an 

estimated $535 per child for approximately 753,000 children to supplement funds provided 

under the Grants to States program and help to ensure that young children with disabilities are 

ready to learn when they enter school. 

The request also includes appropriations language that would allow LEAs to expand the age 

range of children who are eligible to receive coordinated early intervening services to include 

children ages 3 through 5. In addition, in order to reduce burden on LEAs who opt to exercise 

this flexibility, the Administration is requesting a waiver of some reporting requirements for LEAs 

that exercise this flexibility.
36

Grants for Infants and Families

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions.................................................. $438.6 $458.6 $503.6

This program provides formula grants to help States implement statewide systems of early 

intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, so that State and 

local agencies identify and serve children with disabilities early in life when interventions can be 

most effective in improving educational outcomes. The request would enable States to provide 

high-quality early intervention services to approximately 352,000 infants and toddlers with 

disabilities and their families. 

The request also includes $15 million to make competitive grants to partnerships of public and 

private entities to support community-based model demonstration projects. These model 

demonstration projects would focus on expanding early screening, referral, and early 

intervention services to infants and toddlers eligible for Part C and those who are at-risk, but not 

eligible for Part C, and their families.

State Personnel Development

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions..................................................... $41.6 $41.6 $41.6

This program provides competitive grants to help States reform and enhance their systems for 

personnel preparation and professional development in the areas of early intervention, 

educational, and transition services in order to improve outcomes for children with disabilities. 

The 2017 request would help cover the cost of approximately 41 new and continuation awards 

to State educational agencies to improve the knowledge and skills of special education and 

regular education teachers serving children with disabilities and help recruit and retain highly 

qualified personnel providing services to children with disabilities.

Technical Assistance and Dissemination

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions..................................................... $44.31 $44.31 $54.3

1 Excludes $7.6 million for the Special Olympics in 2015 and $10.1 million in 2016, which is requested as a 

separate line item in 2017.

This program funds competitive grants for technical assistance and dissemination of materials 

based on knowledge gained through research and practice. The request, which is in addition to 

the separate $21 million set-aside under the Grants to States program to help States meet data 

collection requirements, would support continuation costs for projects initiated in previous years.

The request includes an increase of $10 million for grants to substantially increase the 

Administration’s investment in model demonstration projects to build the evidence-base for 
37

promising practices in critical areas such as interventions for students with autism that require 

intensive services and support. 

Personnel Preparation

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions................................................. $83.7 $83.7 $83.7

This program helps ensure that there are adequate numbers of personnel with the skills and 

knowledge necessary to help children with disabilities succeed educationally. Program activities 

focus both on meeting the demand for personnel to serve children with disabilities and 

improving the qualifications of these personnel, with particular emphasis on incorporating 

knowledge gained from research and practice into training programs. The Department is 

required to support (1) training for leadership personnel and personnel who work with children 

with low-incidence disabilities, (2) at least one activity in the broadly defined area of personnel 

development, and (3) enhanced support for beginning special educators.

Parent Information Centers

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $27.4 $27.4 $27.4

These funds support centers that provide parents with the training and information they need to 

work with professionals to meet the early intervention and special education needs of their 

children with disabilities. The request would support new competitive grants and continuation 

awards for about 104 centers as well as awards to provide technical assistance to the centers.

Educational Technology, Media, and Materials

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $28.0 $30.0 $30.0

This program makes competitive awards for research, development, and other activities that 

promote the use of technology, including universal design features, in providing special 

education and related services. Funds also support media-related activities, such as providing 

video description and captioning of films and television for use in classrooms for individuals with 

visual and hearing impairments and increasing the availability of books in accessible formats for 

individuals with visual impairments and other print disabilities. The request includes 

$16.3 million for continuation awards and $13.7 million for new awards.

Special Olympics Education Programs

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $7.61 $10.11 $10.1

1 Funds were provided under the Technical Assistance and Dissemination program.
38

This program supports the expansion of Special Olympics and the design and implementation of 

Special Olympics education programs. The request includes funds to support Project UNIFY, a 

school-based education program designed to develop teamwork skills and increase awareness 

and social acceptance of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Rehabilitation Services

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) State Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $3,091.6 $3,391.81 $3,398.6

1 The amount shown for fiscal year 2016 is the mandatory level for the VR State Grants program and does 

not include the 6.8 percent sequester reduction for mandatory programs that went in to effect October 1, 2015, 

pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011. The reduced fiscal year 2016 amount is $3,161.1 million.

This program provides formula grants to State VR agencies to help individuals with disabilities 

become gainfully employed. These agencies provide a wide range of services to nearly

one million individuals with disabilities annually, including vocational evaluation, counseling and 

guidance, work adjustment, diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental impairments, 

education and vocational training, job placement, and post-employment services. States that 

are unable to serve all eligible individuals with disabilities who apply must give priority to 

individuals with the most significant disabilities. Services are provided according to an 

individualized plan for employment. In implementing the changes to Titles I and IV of WIOA, the 

Department is working with its partners in the Federal workforce development system to 

improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, particularly individuals with 

significant disabilities and youth with disabilities. 

The Department’s request would assist States and tribal governments to increase the 

participation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce. Giving workers with disabilities the 

supports and the opportunity to acquire the skills they need to pursue in-demand jobs and 

careers is critical to growing our economy. The requested increase ($6.8 million over the fiscal 

year 2016 mandatory level) is consistent with the inflation adjustment specified in the 

authorizing statute (1.7 percent for 2017). In 2015, the VR program helped approximately 

184,000 individuals with disabilities―94 percent with significant disabilities―achieve 

employment outcomes. Of the amount requested for VR State grants, $43.1 million would be 

set aside to support an anticipated 86 continuation grants under the American Indian Vocational 

Rehabilitation Services program in 2017.

Supported Employment State Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $27.5 $27.5 $30.5

This formula grant program provides supplemental funds to State VR agencies for supported 

employment services for individuals with the most significant disabilities. The amendments 

made to this program under WIOA reflect supported employment’s important role in increasing 
39

competitive integrated employment opportunities for such individuals, particularly youth with the 

most significant disabilities. The requested increase would help State agencies offset the 

increased costs associated with meeting the new challenges and opportunities resulting from 

WIOA. 

Client Assistance State Grants

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $13.0 $13.0 $13.0

This program makes formula grants to States for activities to inform and advise clients of the 

benefits available to them under the Rehabilitation Act, to assist them in their relationships with 

service providers, and to ensure the protection of their rights under the Act. The request would 

support advocacy services for approximately 45,500 individuals with disabilities.

Training

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions..................................................... $30.2 $30.2 $30.2

The Training program makes competitive grants to State and other public or nonprofit agencies 

and organizations, including institutions of higher education, to help ensure that personnel with 

adequate skills are available to provide rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities. 

Demonstration and Training

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $5.8 $5.8 $5.8

This program supports competitive grants and contracts to expand and improve the provision 

and effectiveness of programs and services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act or to further 

the purposes of the Act in promoting the employment and independence of individuals with 

disabilities in the community. Funds are used to support model demonstrations, technical 

assistance, and projects designed to improve program performance and the delivery of VR and 

independent living services. All of the funds requested would be used to support the 

continuation costs of projects awarded in previous fiscal years, including approximately 

$3.3 million to continue support for the Career Pathways Model Projects awarded in fiscal year 

2015.

Independent Living Services for Older Blind Individuals

Programs program budget authority

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $33.3 $33.3 $35.3

The Independent Living Services for Older Blind Individuals program assists individuals aged 

55 or older whose severe visual impairments make competitive employment difficult to obtain. 

Funds are provided under a formula to State VR agencies to provide services designed to help 

eligible individuals to adjust to their blindness by increasing their ability to care for their 
40

individual needs. In fiscal year 2014, the program served approximately 60,000 individuals with 

severe visual impairments. The requested increase would assist States in meeting an 

anticipated increase in the demand for program services in 2017. Under proposed rules 

amending VR State Grants program regulations (published in the Federal Register on April 16, 

2015), the Department proposed to eliminate uncompensated outcomes, including homemaker 

outcomes, from the definition of the term “employment outcome.” While the national percentage 

of homemaker outcomes is small (about 3 percent), some State VR agencies, particularly those 

serving only individuals who are blind and visually impaired, have a greater percentage of 

homemaker outcomes than others. While the Department has proposed a transition period to

offset the impact of this change, the Department anticipates that many of these individuals 

would be referred for services under this program. 

Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $17.7 $17.7 $17.7

The Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) formula grant program funds systems 

in each State to protect and advocate for the legal and human rights of individuals with 

disabilities, helping them to pursue legal and administrative remedies to secure their rights 

under Federal law. The PAIR systems also provide information on, and referrals to, programs 

and services for individuals with disabilities. The request would support advocacy services to 

approximately 55,600 individuals with disabilities.

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions...................................................... $9.1 $10.3 $10.3

This program serves individuals who are deaf-blind, their families, and service providers through 

a national headquarters center with a residential training and rehabilitation facility and a network 

of 10 regional offices that provide referral, counseling, training, and technical assistance 

services. The funds requested would provide direct services for approximately 85 clients at the 

Center’s residential training and rehabilitation program and serve an estimated 

1,710 consumers, 443 families, and 861 agencies and organizations through its regional offices. 

Special Institutions for Persons with Disabilities

(BA in millions)(BA in millions)

Programs

2015 2016

2017

Request

American Printing House for the Blind ................. $24.9 $25.4 $25.4

National Technical Institute for the Deaf .............. 67.0 70.0 70.0

Gallaudet University ............................................. 120.3 121.3 121.3

Total ........................................................ 212.2 216.7 216.7
41

American Printing House for the Blind

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) manufactures and distributes specially 

adapted educational materials for students who are visually impaired, offers advisory services 

for consumers and educational agencies, and conducts applied research related to the 

development of new products. At the request level, APH would provide free educational 

materials to approximately 62,528 persons with visual impairments at an average per student 

allotment of $304, continue funding for initiatives to improve its technical assistance and 

outreach services, and support a variety of new and continuing research projects.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) provides postsecondary technical education 

and training for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as graduate education and 

interpreter training for persons who are deaf or hearing. NTID also conducts research and 

provides training related to the education and employment of individuals who are deaf or hard of 

hearing. The request would support education and training for approximately 1,220 students 

enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Gallaudet University 

Gallaudet University offers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs for 

individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and for hearing students wishing to pursue careers 

in fields related to deafness. Gallaudet also maintains and operates the Kendall Demonstration 

Elementary School and Model Secondary School for the Deaf. The request provides 

$121.3 million for operations, including funds that may be used for the Federal Endowment 

Grant program. The request would help Gallaudet serve an estimated 1,684 undergraduate and 

graduate students and 265 elementary and secondary education students in the 

2016-2017 school year.
42

D. CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Overview

Programs in the Career, Technical, and Adult Education account provide formula grants to 

States to support State and community efforts to improve career and technical education (CTE) 

and adult education and literacy systems. The Department also awards competitive grants and 

contracts under both CTE and adult education for evaluation, performance measurement and 

improvement, technical assistance, research and development, innovative programs, and other 

national activities. For 2017, the Administration is requesting $1.2 billion, an increase of 

$77 million or almost 7 percent over the 2016 level, to support its proposal to reauthorize the 

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. This proposal would increase the rigor 

and relevance of what students learn in school to more closely align programs with the 

demands of the 21st century economy and workforce while creating stronger linkages between 

secondary and postsecondary education. The 2017 request also provides $606.7 million for 

Adult Education programs, including an $11 million increase for National Leadership Activities

supporting implementation of the programs as reauthorized by the Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA).

Career and Technical Education

(BA in millions)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

State Grants ......................................................... $1,117.6 $1,117.6 $1,192.6

National Programs ............................................... 7.4 7.4 9.4

Total ........................................................ 1,125.0 1,125.0 1,202.0

The request provides $1.2 billion, an increase of $77 million or almost 7 percent, for activities 

under the Administration’s proposal to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 

Education Act (Perkins Act). In April 2012, the Administration released “Investing in America’s 

Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education,” which outlined the 

Administration’s proposal to help ensure that all CTE programs become viable and rigorous 

pathways to postsecondary and career success. The Blueprint calls for transforming CTE by 

promoting:

• Strong collaboration among secondary and postsecondary institutions, employers, and 

industry partners to improve the quality of CTE programs;

• Meaningful accountability for improving academic outcomes and building technical and 

employability skills in CTE programs for all students; 

• Effective alignment between high-quality CTE programs and labor market needs to 

equip students with 21st century skills and prepare them for in-demand occupations in 

high-growth industry sectors; and

• Increased emphasis on innovation through a new CTE Innovation Fund that would 

support the development and implementation of new practices and models at the local 

level as well as systemic reform of State policies and practices.
43

The request provides $75 million for a new American Technical Training Fund (ATTF), under 

the proposed CTE Innovation Fund authority, that would support the development, operation, 

and expansion of innovative, evidence-based, tuition-free, short-term or accelerated job training 

programs in high-demand fields that provide a path to the middle class for low-income 

individuals. Projects would emphasize strong employer partnerships, work-based learning 

opportunities, accelerated training, and flexible scheduling to accommodate part-time work. 

These types of training programs are critical to providing a pathway to the middle class for hardworking individuals who need to gain technical skills and postsecondary credentials to obtain 

employment in high-wage industries. Programs would be free to participants and grantees 

would be required to waive tuition and fees for students on a “first dollar” basis. The ATTF 

would be jointly administered with the Department of Labor to help ensure that projects are wellintegrated into the workforce system.

CTE National Programs would support implementation of a reauthorized Perkins Act through 

research, evaluation, data collection, technical assistance, and other national leadership 

activities aimed at improving the quality and effectiveness of career and technical education. 

The $9.4 million request includes a $2 million increase to provide technical assistance and 

evaluation support for ATTF projects.

Adult Education

(BA in millions)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

Adult Basic and Literacy Education

State Grants................................................... $569.0 $582.0 $582.0

National Leadership Activities.............................. 13.7 13.7 24.7

Total ........................................................ 582.7 595.7 606.7

Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants assist adults without a high school diploma or 

the equivalent to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for 

postsecondary education, employment, and economic self-sufficiency. The Adult Education and 

Family Literacy Act is authorized by WIOA, which promotes alignment of the Adult Education 

programs with Federal job training programs and the postsecondary education system. The 

State Grants program includes a statutory set-aside for English Literacy/Civics Education to 

help States and communities provide adults learning English with expanded access to highquality English literacy programs linked to civics education.

Funds proposed for National Leadership Activities would continue to support efforts to increase 

the literacy and workforce skills of adults born in the U.S., as well as the ongoing need to 

address the English language acquisition, literacy, and workforce skills gaps of the immigrant 

population and to promote reentry education. The proposed $11 million increase would be used 

to support State-based efforts to improve adult education standards and assessments and to 

carry out data collection activities, as well as to improve the interoperability of data systems and 

the accuracy and timeliness of reporting to meet WIOA requirements.
44

E. STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Overview

The student financial assistance programs provide important resources to students and families 

to help them achieve their dreams of a postsecondary education. Since 2009, the Obama 

Administration has made historic investments in student financial aid that have helped ensure 

college stays within the reach of American families, including ending the inefficient guaranteed 

student loan program and reinvesting the savings into making college more affordable;

strengthening and expanding the Pell Grant program; increasing the maximum Pell Grant award 

by more than $1,000; creating and extending the American Opportunity Tax Credit, worth 

$10,000 over 4 years of college; and making loans more affordable. President Obama also 

helped borrowers manage their education debt by improving and expanding income-driven 

repayment, allowing nearly 7 million additional borrowers to cap their loan payments at 

10 percent of their income through the Pay As You Earn and related plans. Still, far too many 

students never complete their degree—only 60 percent of those enrolled in a bachelor's degree 

program complete their education. Even for those who do complete, at least one-third take 

longer than expected to graduate, forcing them to carry additional costs and leave school with 

higher debt burdens. The consequences of not completing college are especially severe for 

students who leave school with debt; borrowers who drop out of college face a three times 

greater risk of defaulting on their student loans compared with those who graduate.

That is why the Administration has doubled down on its efforts toward a new higher education 

focus on degree completion, in addition to college access and affordability, seeking to help shift 

incentives at every level to focus on student success, not just on access. Accordingly, the 

2017 request continues providing critical investments to improve college access, affordability, 

and student outcomes, and also includes new initiatives to support and encourage higher 

college completion rates. 

Overall, the 2017 Budget for postsecondary student aid includes both discretionary and 

mandatory funding that would make available $139.7 billion in new grants, loans, and workstudy assistance—an increase of $42.0 billion, or 43 percent, over the amount available in 

2008—to help an estimated 12.1 million students and their families pay for college. 

Furthermore, the 2017 Budget proposes key reforms to provide both institutional and student 

supports and incentives for on-time and accelerated degree attainment, making college more 

affordable and accessible, and student loan repayment easier, as well as protecting students 

and taxpayers. In particular, the Budget includes proposals to (1) support and encourage lowincome students to complete their studies on time or faster and to reward those who take more 

courses; (2) reform the campus-based student aid programs to reward success for low-income 

students; (3) fully fund, expand, strengthen, and sustain the value of the Pell grant; (4) further 

simplify the application for Federal student aid; (5) reform and streamline income-driven 

repayment and teacher loan forgiveness; and (6) protect students and taxpayers from predatory 

colleges. The specifics of these reform proposals are discussed below.

Pell for Accelerated Completion

Currently, full-time students who want to accelerate their studies but exhaust their Pell Grant 

eligibility during an award year are unable to receive Pell aid for additional coursework during an 

institution’s academic calendar—such as a summer semester. The Budget proposes to 

reinstate year-round Pell Grant eligibility, allowing students the opportunity to earn a third 

semester of Pell Grant support during an academic year if they have already completed a full-
45

time course load of 24 credits. Eligible students will be able to receive up to 150 percent of their 

regular Pell Grant award, allowing students to complete their degrees and enter the workforce 

or graduate education on time or even faster. 

On-Track Pell Bonus

Under current law, a student who is enrolled in 12 semester hours (or the equivalent) during a 

term is considered full-time for Federal student aid purposes and is eligible for a maximum Pell 

grant. Assuming two standard terms during a Pell Grant award year, students pursuing a 

2-year/4-year degree and enrolled at 12 semester hours per term cannot graduate within 

2-4 years and those who take more credits cannot obtain more Pell aid within the same award 

year. To bolster incentives for on-time completion, the Budget proposes to provide an additional 

$300 Pell bonus award to reward recipients who take 15 credits per semester in an award year. 

The Budget also proposes again to strengthen academic progress requirements in the Pell 

Grant program to encourage students to complete their studies on time.

Reform Campus-Based Aid to Better Serve Low-Income Students

Some of the more than 6,000 institutions of higher education that participate in the Federal Pell 

Grant and/or Federal Student Loan programs also participate in one or more of the Federal 

Campus-Based Aid programs: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal 

Work-Study, and Federal Perkins Loan programs. While all schools are eligible to participate in 

the campus-based aid programs, antiquated statutory formulas with stringent hold-harmless 

provisions have resulted in institutions receiving allocations that reward them for high tuition 

prices, do not reflect the population of Pell-eligible students attending the institutions, and fail to 

consider whether the institutions are a good value for students. The President’s 2017 Budget 

proposes to reform Federal allocations in the campus-based programs to allocate grants to 

those institutions that enroll and graduate higher numbers of Pell-eligible students and offer 

affordable and quality education and training such that graduates can obtain employment and 

repay their educational debt.

Perkins Loan Program Modernization and Expansion

The Budget proposes to modernize and expand the Perkins Loan program into a new 

Unsubsidized Perkins Loan program, which would provide $8.5 billion in loans annually, 

allocating lending authority among institutions on the basis of the extent to which institutions 

enroll and graduate higher numbers of Pell-eligible students and offer affordable and quality 

education such that graduates can repay their educational debt. This reform would replace the 

current program, which was recently reauthorized through the end of September 2017, and be 

in effect for the 2017–2018 school year. When fully implemented, the new Perkins loan 

program would provide eight and a half times the current Perkins loan volume and expand 

institutional participation by up to an additional 2,900 postsecondary institutions. 

The Department would administer the new Perkins Loan program as a direct loan program;

however, institutions would continue to have discretion over award aid to students. Modernizing 

and expanding the program would give more students increased access to Federal student 

loans that carry important protections and benefits, including income-based repayment plans 

and loan forgiveness options.
46

Protecting Pell Grants

Pell Grants are considered to be the foundation of a student’s financial aid package, to which 

other forms of aid are added. This Budget would fully fund the Pell program in 2017, with a 

maximum award of $5,935—effectively $6,235 for those taking at least 15 credit hours per 

semester—and protect the value of Pell Grants from eroding due to the expiration of indexing 

set to occur in the 2018 award year and beyond. To this end, this Budget proposes to 

permanently continue indexing the Pell Grant program for inflation. The Budget also proposes 

moving Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants into the Pell Grant program to avoid further award 

reductions as a result of sequestration and ensure our veterans’ children receive a full, nonsequestered aid award. Extending inflationary increases to Pell Grants would cost $33 billion 

over 10 years, helping 9 million students keep up with the rising cost of education within a 

decade. 

Second Chance Pell

The Budget proposes to reinstate access to Pell Grant aid for eligible incarcerated students in 

Federal and State penal institutions. Under this proposal, incarcerated individuals who 

otherwise meet Title IV eligibility requirements and are eligible for release could access Pell 

Grants to pursue postsecondary education and training. Research published in 2013 from the 

RAND Corporation titled “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education” suggests that 

inmates who participate in correctional education programs have (1) lower odds (43 percent) of 

recidivating; and (2) higher odds (13 percent) of obtaining employment post-release than those 

who do not participate in correctional education. Expanding postsecondary opportunity to 

incarcerated individuals eligible for release through the Second Chance Pell proposal would 

restore their Pell eligibility with the goals of helping them get jobs, support their families, turn 

their lives around, and strengthen their communities.

FAFSA Simplification

The Department of Education has taken administrative steps to improve the Federal financial 

aid process. Today, more than 99 percent of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 

(FAFSA) applications are submitted online. The online FAFSA uses skip-logic, which allows 

applicants to skip questions that do not pertain to them, to expedite completion. On average, 

students complete the online FAFSA in approximately 20 minutes, one-third of the time it took 

7 years ago. Moreover, among 2014–2015 applicants who filed their taxes, 58 percent of 

independent students and 46 percent of parents of dependent students—or over 6 million 

students and parents overall—had used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to access and 

automatically transfer their IRS tax return information into the FAFSA.

In September 2015, President Obama announced significant changes in the process for filing 

FAFSAs starting in the 2017 award year. Applicants will be able to access and submit the 

FAFSA for the 2017 award year starting in October 2016, 3 months earlier than the current 

process would allow. In addition, applicants will submit “prior-prior” income information, 

meaning that 2015 income information, already available in October through the data retrieval 

tool, will be used to inform aid decisions for the 2017 award year. Both of these changes will 

streamline the student aid process and provide families with an earlier picture of their aid 

eligibility.

Despite these improvements, the FAFSA requires some applicants to complete over 

100 questions to determine their eligibility for Federal student aid. This complexity discourages 
47

many eligible students from applying for aid—an estimated 2 million students who would have 

qualified for a Pell Grant failed to complete the application. The FAFSA could be made more 

understandable and easier for applicants to complete by removing data elements pertaining to 

assets and additional types of income, and by relying primarily on information readily available 

in Federal tax returns. That is why the President’s 2017 Budget proposes additional and 

significant FAFSA simplification by removing questions regarding savings, investments, and net 

worth, which rarely affect the actual aid award but significantly lengthen the application for some 

families. Additionally, untaxed income and exclusions from income data that are not reported to 

the IRS would no longer be collected. To prevent resulting decreases of aid awards, the Budget 

also proposes adjustments to the Expected Family Contribution for certain categories of 

applicants.

Reform and Streamline Repayment Plan Options

Since President Obama took office, the Administration has improved and expanded the 

protections of income-driven repayment through both legislative changes and administrative 

actions. Today, all existing Direct Loan student borrowers can limit the amount of their loan 

payments to 10 percent of their income, and those payments are limited to 20 years (25 years 

for some graduate borrowers).

In addition, the Office of Federal Student Aid has conducted, and continues to 

implement, significant outreach efforts to inform student loan borrowers of their repayment 

options, including the protections of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and related income-driven 

repayment plans. This effort has paid off—participation in income-driven repayment plans has 

more than doubled over the past 2 years.

Despite these efforts, choosing and enrolling in the right repayment plan is complicated by the 

numerous repayment plans authorized and required by law to be offered to borrowers. Thus, 

the Administration continues to seek to work with Congress to create a single, simple, and 

better targeted income-driven repayment plan.

The 2017 Budget would reform and streamline PAYE and related repayment plans to ensure 

that program benefits are better targeted and safeguard the program for the future by protecting 

against institutional practices that may further increase student indebtedness. The proposal 

would create a single PAYE plan for loans originated on or after July 1, 2017, similar to the 

Revised PAYE (REPAYE) plan. This would simplify borrowers’ experience and allow for easier 

selection of a repayment plan, while reducing program complexity and targeting benefits to 

ensure program effectiveness. Students who borrowed their first loans prior to July 1, 2017, 

would continue to be able to select among the existing repayment plans for loans borrowed to 

fund their current course of study, though loans they borrow for future degrees would be under 

the new terms.

Strengthen and Streamline Teacher Loan Forgiveness 

The Administration is committed to ensuring all students, especially those in high-needs 

schools, have access to effective teachers. To meet this commitment, we must attract more 

talented people into the teaching profession, and reward them for the hard, daily work of 

improving student learning outcomes in our lowest-performing schools. The Budget proposes to 

expand and increase teacher loan forgiveness, providing up to $25,000 in forgiveness for

teachers graduating from an effective preparation program who serve in low-income schools, 

starting in 2021. This proposal would simplify existing postsecondary assistance available for 
48

teachers, such as TEACH grants and the current teacher loan forgiveness program, by 

consolidating them into a single, more generous loan forgiveness program, incentivizing more 

individuals to teach in our neediest schools and encouraging them to stay. Current programs 

have either entirely back-loaded benefits (teachers are eligible for lump sum forgiveness after 

5 years of teaching) or entirely front-loaded (grants that may convert to loans if students fail to 

fulfill a 4-year teaching requirement) and have proved insufficient to incentivize individuals to 

join and remain in the teaching profession. The new program would reward teachers in 

high-need schools with forgiveness up to $10,000, while those who graduated from effective 

teacher preparation programs, as determined by States, would be eligible to receive up to 

$25,000. This new program would reward job retention by forgiving increasing shares of 

student loan balances, awarded at 10 percent per year for teachers starting years 2–3, 

20 percent for starting years 4–5, and 40 percent for starting year 6.

Protect Students and Taxpayers

The Budget proposes several reforms aimed at ensuring student aid dollars are spent prudently. 

The Budget proposes to include all Federal educational programs, including Department of 

Defense Tuition Assistance and Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill Benefits, in the 

90/10 calculation as part of the administration of Title IV Federal student aid at proprietary 

(for-profit) institutions. This proposal will discourage aggressive, and sometimes predatory and 

deceptive, marketing and recruitment of veterans and servicemembers who receive non-Title IV 

educational aid. Currently, for institutions participating in Federal student aid programs, no 

more than 90 percent of revenue can come from Federal student loans and grants. Additionally, 

the budget proposes to revert the 90 percent benchmark back to the original 85 percent in the 

calculation. The intent of this requirement is simple: quality for-profit programs should be able 

to secure funding that is not solely from the Federal Government and thus show that they are 

able to bring in students willing to spend their own funds. The Budget also will prevent 

additional Pell disbursements to recipients who repeatedly enroll and obtain aid but do not earn 

any academic credits.

Federal Student Aid and Tax Benefits for College Students

In addition to Pell Grants, subsidized and low-interest student loans, and the campus-based 

student aid programs, the Federal Government provides significant tax relief to American 

students and families through several credits, exclusions, and deductions. These benefits, in 

comparison with the amounts provided by the student financial aid programs, are displayed 

below. The Administration proposes to expand, simplify and better target education tax 

benefits, building on its success in creating the American Opportunity Tax Credit.

Federal Assistance to 

College Students

Fiscal year

2008

Fiscal year

Fiscal year

2017

Request

Change in 

Dollars

Change 

in 

Percent

Student Aid Available $97.7 billion $139.7 billion $42.0 billion +43%

Selected Tax Benefits $7.5 billion $17.7 billion $10.2 billion +136%
49

Student Aid Summary Tables

Budget Authority 

(dollars in millions) 2015 2016

2017

Request

Pell Grants

Pell Grants: Discretionary funding ............................ ................. $22,475.4 $22,475.4 $22,475.4

Pell Grants Mandatory funding ....................................................... 5,152.9 5,804.41 7,629.01

Subtotal, Pell Grants ................................................ 27,628.3 28,279,8 30,104.4 

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants .................. 733.1 733.1 733.1

Work-Study ......................................................................... 989.7 989.7 989.7

TEACH Grants2 .................................................................. -15.3 10.6 12.3

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants ................................. 0.4 0.5 —3

Federal Family Education Loans ....................................... -3,293.64 -1,074.74 —

Federal Direct Loans .......................................................... 17,303.25 -671.65 -8,292.55

Unsubsidized Perkins Loans .............................................. — — -640.36

Total ..................................................................... 43,345.8 28,267.3 22,906.6

1 Amounts appropriated for Pell Grants for 2016 and 2017 include mandatory funding provided in the 

Higher Education Act, as amended, to fund both the base maximum award and add-on award. 2 For budget and financial management purposes, this program is operated as a credit program under the 

Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990. Budget authority reflects the estimated net present value of future Federal nonadministrative costs for awards made in a given fiscal year. The 2015 amount includes a net downward reestimate of 

$31.2 million. The 2016 amount includes a net downward reestimate of $1.8 million. The amount for 2017 reflects 

new loan subsidy. 3 Budget authority for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG) program is displayed as part of the 

Pell Grant program, reflecting Budget policy to moving IASG into the Pell Grant program. In 2017, budget authority 

for this program is projected to be $495,000. 4 FFEL budget authority does not include the Liquidating account. The 2015 amount includes a net 

downward reestimate of -$3.3 billion primarily related to revised deferment assumptions. The 2016 amount includes 

a net downward reestimate of -$1.2 billion primarily related to updated deferment assumptions and an upward 

modification of $152 million to reflect the increase in guaranty agency reinsurance from 95 percent to 100 percent as 

included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016. These reestimates and modifications reflect the impact of 

changes on an outstanding FFEL portfolio of over $253 billion. 5 The 2015 amount includes a net upward reestimate of $12.3 billion, primarily related to revised interest 

rates and increased participation in income-driven repayment plans, and a net upward modification of $9.3 billion, to 

reflect the budgetary impact of the proposed changes to PAYE. The 2016 amount includes a net upward reestimate 

of $7.7 billion, primarily related to revised prepayment assumptions and increased participation in income-driven 

repayment plans. (reestimates and modifications reflect the impact of changes on an outstanding Direct Loan 

portfolio of $801 billion). 6 Amount in 2017 reflects proposal to create a new Perkins Loan program as a mandatory credit program.
50

Aid Available to Students 

(dollars in millions) 2015 2016 

2017

Request

Pell Grants $28,528.7 $28,282.6 $30,975.4

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants...... . 925.2 925.2 925.2

Work-Study ............................................................... 1,125.4 1,125.4 1,125.4

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants ....................... 0.4 0.5 —1

New Student Loans:

New Student Loans: Federal Direct Loans ............................................ 95,205.0 96,917.9 101,636.3

New Student Loans: Perkins Loans ...................................................... 1,171.5 871.6 871.6

New Student Loans: Unsubsidized Perkins Loans ................................ — — 4,113.4

TEACH Grants ......................................................... 86.8 88.5 96.4

Subtotal, Student Loans .............................. 96,463.32 97,878.02 106,717.72

Total ............................................................. 127,043.03 128,211.73 139,743.73

1 Aid available for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG) program is displayed as part of the Pell 

Grant program, reflecting Budget policy to moving IASG into the Pell Grant program. In 2017, aid available for this 

program is projected to be $572,000. 2 Consolidation Loans for existing borrowers will total $46.0 billion in 2015; $48.8 billion in 2016; and 

$48.4 billion in 2017. 3 Shows total aid generated by Department programs, including Perkins Loan capital from institutional 

revolving funds, and institutional matching funds.

Number of Student Aid Awards

(in thousands)

2015 2016

2017

Request

Pell Grants ..................................................................... 7,670.0 7,679.0 7,719.0

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.............. 1,547.0 1,547.0 1,547.0

Work-Study .................................................................... 674.2 674.2 674.2

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants ............................. —1 —1 —1

New Student Loans:2

New Student Loans: Federal Direct Loans ................................................. 17,910.5 17,677.7 18,175.5

New Student Loans: Perkins Loans ........................................................... 539.4 401.3 401.3

New Student Loans: Unsubsidized Perkins Loans ..................................... — — 714.0

TEACH Grants .............................................................. 30.1 30.7 31.3

Total awards ........................................................... 28,371.2 28,009.9 29,262.3

1 Less than 1,000 recipients in each year. 2 Excludes Consolidation Loans for existing borrowers will total 790,000 in 2015; 809,000 in 2016; and 

785,000 in 2017.
51

Number of Postsecondary Students Aided by Department Programs

Program Information 2015 2016 2017

Unduplicated Count (in thousands) ....................... 11,974 11,833 12,078

Federal Pell Grant Program

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions:

BA i n millions: Discretionary budget authority .......................... $22,475.4 $22,475.4 $22,475.4

BA i n millions: Mandatory budget authority .............................. 5,152.9 5,804.4 6,306.0

BA i n millions: Definite mandatory funding............................... — — 1,323.0

BA i n millions: Total 27,628.3 28,279.8 30,104.4

Program costs (dollars in millions)....................... $28,567.0 $28,321.0 $31,014.0

Aid available (dollars in millions).......................... $28,528.7 $28,282.6 $30,975.4

Recipients (in thousands)..................................... 7,670 7,679 7,719

Maximum grant (in whole dollars)

Maxi mum grant Discretionary portion......................................... $4,860 $4,860 $4,860

Maxi mum grant Mandatory add-on............................................. 915 955 1,075

Maxi mum grant Total 5,775 5,815 5,935

Average grant (in whole dollars) .......................... $3,720 $3,683 $4,013

The Pell Grant program helps ensure financial access to postsecondary education by providing 

grant aid to low-income undergraduate students. The program is the largest need-based 

postsecondary student grant program, with individual awards based on the financial 

circumstances of students and their families. The 2017 discretionary request of $22.5 billion for 

Pell Grants would continue to make college more affordable for an estimated 7.7 million 

students by supporting the scheduled increase in current law in the maximum Pell award by the 

Consumer Price Index to an estimated $5,935 in award year 2017–2018, effectively $6,235 for 

those taking at least 15 credit hours per semester.

In addition to fully funding the maximum award in fiscal year 2017, the Budget proposes to 

permanently index the maximum award for inflation beyond 2017. The Budget also proposes 

several new Pell initiatives to expand access to postsecondary education and promote student 

completion:

• Pell for Accelerated Completion: The Budget proposes to reinstate year-round Pell 

Grant and allow students the opportunity to earn a third semester of Pell during an 

academic year if they have already completed a full-time course load of 24 credits.

• On-Track Pell Bonus: The Budget promotes on-time completion by increasing the Pell 

Grant by an additional $300 for students taking at least 15 credit hours per semester, the 

number of credits typically required for on-time completion.

• Second Chance Pell: To help incarcerated individuals successfully transition out of 

prison and back into the classroom or the workforce, the Budget proposes to reinstate 

access to Pell Grant aid for incarcerated students eligible for release in Federal and 

State penal institutions.
52

Campus-Based Aid Programs

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Work-Study, and Perkins Loan

programs are called the “campus-based aid” programs because they make grants directly to 

participating institutions, which have considerable flexibility to package awards based on the 

needs of their students. The 2017 request would reform Federal allocations in the campusbased programs to target resources to those institutions that enroll and graduate higher 

numbers of Pell-eligible students, and offer affordable and quality education and training such 

that graduates can obtain employment and repay their educational debt.

In addition, the request would expand and reform the Perkins Loan program to significantly 

increase both lending authority and the number of participating institutions, in part by modifying 

the antiquated formula that is based primarily on institutions’ longevity in the programs.

These reforms, collectively, seek to provide increased access to a quality and affordable higher 

education and ensure that students are well-prepared for work and life after graduation. The 

reforms will make postsecondary education more affordable for students with financial need and 

will reward institutions that demonstrate success in access, affordability, and completion, 

especially for low-income students.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions ....................................................... $733.1 $733.1 $733.1

Aid available (dollars in millions) ......................... $925.2 $925.2 $925.2

Recipients (in thousands) .................................... 1,547 1,547 1,547

Average award (in whole dollars)......................... $598 $598 $598

This program provides grant assistance of up to $4,000 per academic year to undergraduate 

students with demonstrated financial need. Program funds are allocated to institutions 

according to a statutory formula and require a 25 percent institutional match. The $733.1 million 

request would leverage $192.1 million in institutional matching funds to make available an 

estimated total of $925.2 million in grants to nearly 1.6 million recipients. Awards to students 

are determined at the discretion of institutional financial aid administrators, although schools are 

required to give priority to Pell Grant recipients and students with the lowest expected family 

contributions. The request would reform Federal allocations in the SEOG program to target

grants to those institutions that enroll and graduate higher numbers of Pell-eligible students and 

offer affordable and quality education and training such that graduates can obtain employment 

and repay their educational debt. 

Work-Study

program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions ....................................................... $989.7 $989.7 $989.7

Aid available (dollars in millions) ......................... $1,125.4 $1,125.4 $1,125.4

Recipients (in thousands) .................................... 674 674 674

Average award (in whole dollars)......................... $1,669 $1,669 $1,669

The Work-Study program provides grants to participating institutions to pay up to 75 percent of 

the wages of eligible undergraduate and graduate students working part-time to help pay their 
53

college costs. The school or other eligible employer provides the balance of the student’s 

wages. The Budget proposes to level-fund Work-Study at the 2016 amount—$989.7 million—

which, when combined with institutional matching funds, would make available a little over

$1.1 billion to an estimated 674,000 recipients. Funds are allocated to institutions according to 

a statutory formula and individual award amounts to students are determined at the discretion of 

institutional financial aid administrators. The request would reform the institutional allocation

formula to target grants to those institutions that enroll and graduate higher numbers of Pelleligible students and offer affordable and quality education and training such that graduates can 

obtain employment and repay their educational debt. 

Perkins Loans

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

Perkins Loans (current program):

Aid available (dollars in millions) ......................... $1,171.5 $871.6 $871.6

Recipients (in thousands) .................................... 539 401 401

Average loan (in whole dollars)............................ $2,172 $2,172 $2,172

Unsubsidized Perkins Loans:

Loan subsidies (BA in millions) ........................... — — -$640.3

Aid available (dollars in millions) ......................... — — $4,113.4

Recipients (in thousands) .................................... — — 714

Average loan (in whole dollars)............................ — — $5,761.0

The Perkins Loan program provides long-term, low-interest loans to undergraduate and 

graduate students with demonstrated financial need at roughly 1,500 institutions. Perkins Loan 

borrowers pay no interest during in-school, grace, and deferment periods, and are charged 

5 percent interest. Annual borrowing limits are $5,500 for undergraduate students and 

$8,000 for graduate and professional students. The Perkins Loan program was recently 

extended through September 30, 2017, by the Federal Perkins Loan Program Extension Act of 

2015.

The Budget proposes to modernize and expand the Perkins Loan program into a new 

Unsubsidized Perkins Loan program which would provide $8.5 billion in loans annually. This 

reform would replace the current program, and be in effect for the 2017–2018 school year. 

When fully implemented, the new Perkins loan program would provide eight and a half times the 

current Perkins loan volume and expand institutional participation by up to an additional 

2,900 postsecondary institutions. 

Under the Administration’s proposal, Unsubsidized Perkins Loans would carry the same 

annually-determined fixed interest rate as that proposed for Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. Loan 

limits for both undergraduate and graduate students would remain the same as in the current 

Perkins program. The Department of Education, rather than institutions, would service Perkins 

Loans. Lending authority would be allocated among institutions in the same manner as the 

other campus-based programs—the request would reform the institutional allocation formula to 

direct funding toward institutions that enroll and graduate higher numbers of Pell-eligible 

students and offer an affordable and quality education such that graduates can repay their 

educational debt.
54

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in thousands .................................................. $369 $453 0

Aid available (dollars in thousands) .................... $410 $477 0

Recipients (in thousands) .................................... (1) (1) —

Average award (in whole dollars)......................... $4,881 $4,918 0

1 Number of recipients estimated to be less than 100.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant program provides non-need-based grants to students 

whose parent or guardian was a member of the Armed Forces who died in Iraq or Afghanistan 

as a result of performing military service after September 11, 2001. Students are not required to 

be eligible for a Pell Grant in order to receive a Service Grant; however, the student must be 

24 years old or younger; or, if older than 24, must have been enrolled in an institution of higher 

education at the time of the parent or guardian’s death. Service Grants are equal to the 

maximum Pell Grant for a given award year, which is $5,815 for the 2016–2017 award year. 

The 2017 Budget proposes moving Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG) to the Pell 

Grant program to avoid further award reductions as a result of sequestration and ensure our 

veterans’ children receive a full, non-sequestered aid award. As a result of sequestration, the 

current IASG program has, since award year 2012–2013, annually reduced the maximum grant 

for which recipients are eligible. This policy would allow these students to receive the full, 

equivalent Pell Grant (which is not subject to sequestration).

TEACH Grants

Program Infor mation

2015Footnote2016Footnote

2017

Request

Footnote

BA in millions.................................................................. -$15.3 1 $10.6 1 $12.3 1

Aid available to students (in millions)............................. $86.8 $88.5 $96.4

Recipients (in thousands) .............................................. 30.1 30.7 31.3

Maximum grant (in whole dollars) .................................. $4,000 $4,000 $4,000

Average grant (in whole dollars) .................................... $2,881 $2,881 $3,077

1 The 2015 amount includes a net downward reestimate of $31.2 million. The 2016 amount includes a net 

downward reestimate of $1.8 million. The amount for 2017 reflects new loan subsidy.

The TEACH Grant program awards annual grants of up to $4,000 to eligible undergraduate and 

graduate students who agree to serve as full-time teachers in mathematics, science, foreign 

language, bilingual education, special education, or reading at a high-need school for not less 

than 4 years within 8 years of graduation. For students who fail to fulfill this service 

requirement, grants are converted to Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans with interest accrued 

from the date the grants were awarded.

For budget and financial management purposes, the TEACH program is operated as a loan 

program with 100 percent forgiveness of outstanding principal and interest upon completion of a 

student’s service requirement. Grants are converted to Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans if 

students do not complete the required service. Consistent with the requirements of the Credit 
55

Reform Act of 1990, budget authority for this program reflects the estimated net present value of 

all future non-administrative Federal costs associated with awards made in a given fiscal year. 

The 2017 Budget proposes to strengthen and streamline teacher loan forgiveness, up to 

$25,000 in forgiveness for teachers graduating from an effective preparation program who serve 

in low-income schools, starting in 2021. This proposal would simplify existing postsecondary 

assistance available to teachers, such as TEACH grants and the current teacher loan 

forgiveness program, by consolidating them into a single, more generous loan forgiveness 

program, incentivizing more individuals to teach in our neediest schools and encouraging them 

to stay on the job. The Budget proposes to allow undergraduate students who receive a 

TEACH Grant in the 2020–2021 academic year to continue to receive annual awards 

throughout their undergraduate enrollment, up to a lifetime maximum of $16,000.

Federal Family Education Loans and Direct Loans

Program Infor mation (BA in millions)

2015 Footnote2016 Footnote

2017

Request

Footnote

Federal Family Education Loans

Famil y F ederal Educati on Loans: Net modification of existing loans ............................ — $151.61 —

Famil y F ederal Educati on Loans: Net reestimate of existing loans .............................. -3,293.6 2,3 -1,226.3 2,3 —

Famil y F ederal Educati on Loans: Total, FFEL program BA.......................................... -3,293.6 -1,074.7 —

Federal Direct Loans

Federal Direct Loans: New loans subsidies (BA).......................................... -4,333.0 2 -8,364.9 2 -8,292.52

Federal Direct Loans: Net modification of existing loans.............................. 9,307.2 1 — —

Federal Direct Loans: Net reestimate of existing loans ................................ 12,329.0 3 7,693.3 3 —

Federal Direct Loans: Total, new budget authority ...................................... 17,303.2 -671.6 -8,292.5

Total, student loans (BA) .................................. 14,009.6 -1,746.3 -8,292.5

1 Under Credit Reform, costs or savings related to the impact of policy changes on existing loans are reflected in 

the current year. The 2016 FFEL modification reflects a cost associated with policy changes passed in the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016. The 2015 Direct Loan modification reflects the cost of expanding and 

reformulating the Pay As You Earn repayment plan. 2 Total includes amount for Consolidation Loans.

3 Under Credit Reform, the subsidy amounts are reestimated annually in both Direct Loans and FFEL to account 

for changes in long-term projections. Reestimates and modifications reflect the impact of changes on outstanding 

portfolios of $253 billion for FFEL, $77 billion for ECASLA, and $801 billion for Direct Loans.
56

New loan volume (in millions) 2015 Footnote2016 F

o

o

t

n

o

t

e

2017

Request F

o

o

t

n

o

t

e

Direct Loans

Direct Loans: Stafford loans .................................... $23,658.5 $23,161.8 $23.507.2

Direct Loans: Unsubsidized Stafford loans ............... 51,583.0 52,456.8 55,482.5

Direct Loans: Parent PLUS loans .............................. 11,372.3 12,132.8 12,812.2

Direct Loans: Grad PLUS loans ................................. 8,591.2 9,166.5 9,834.4

Direct Loans: Total 95,205.0 1 96,917.9 1 101,636.3 1

Number of new loans (in thousands)

Direct Loans

Direct Loans: Stafford loans ....................................... 7,297 7,068 7,157

Direct Loans: Unsubsidized Stafford loans ................ 9,191 9,105 9,454

Direct Loans: Parent PLUS loans .............................. 900 958 990

Direct Loans: Grad PLUS loans ................................. 522 546 574

Direct Loans: Total ........................................ 17,910 1 17,677 1 18,175 1

1 Consolidation Loans for existing borrowers will total $46.0 billion and 790,000 loans in 2015, $48.8 billion and 

809,000 loans in 2016, and $48.4 billion and 785,000 loans in 2017.

The Department of Education operates two major student loan programs—the Federal Family 

Education Loan (FFEL) program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) 

program—but since July 1, 2010, the Department has made new loans only through the Direct 

Loan program. The legacy FFEL program made loans to students and their families through 

private lenders, guaranteed by the Federal Government and administered by State and private 

nonprofit guaranty agencies. Under the Direct Loan program, the Federal Government provides 

the loan capital and schools disburse loan funds to students. The Department carries out its 

loan origination and servicing functions under Direct Loans through private contractors. The 

Direct Loan program features four types of loans with fixed interest rates that are set annually:

• Stafford Loans are subsidized, low-interest loans based on financial need. The Federal 

Government pays the interest while the student is in school and during certain grace and 

deferment periods. The current interest rate for undergraduate loans made in academic 

year 2015–2016 is 4.29 percent. As of July 1, 2012, only undergraduate students are 

eligible for subsidized Stafford loans.

• Unsubsidized Stafford Loans have a fixed interest rate of 4.29 percent for undergraduate 

borrowers and 5.84 percent for graduate and professional borrowers in academic year 

2015-2016. The Federal Government does not pay interest for the student during in-school, 

grace, and deferment periods.

• PLUS Loans are available to parents of dependent undergraduate students, and to graduate 

and professional students. The interest rate is 6.84 percent in academic year 2015–2016

and the Federal Government does not pay interest during in-school, grace, and deferment 

periods.

• Consolidation Loans allow borrowers with multiple student loans who meet certain criteria to 

combine their loans and extend their repayment schedules. The rate for both FFEL and 

Direct Consolidation Loans is based on the weighted average of loans consolidated rounded 
57

up to the nearest 1/8th of 1 percent. The resulting rate for the consolidated loan is then fixed 

for the life of the loan.

The 2017 Budget would reform and streamline PAYE and related repayment plans to ensure 

that program benefits are better targeted and safeguard the program for the future by protecting 

against institutional practices that may further increase student indebtedness. The proposal 

would create a single PAYE plan for loans originated on or after July 1, 2017, similar to the 

Revised PAYE (REPAYE) plan. This would simplify borrowers’ experience and allow for easier 

selection of a repayment plan, while reducing program complexity and targeting benefits to 

ensure program effectiveness (students who borrowed their first loans prior to July 1, 2017, 

would continue to be able to select among the existing repayment plans for loans borrowed to 

fund their current course of study, though loans they borrow for future degrees would be under 

the new terms.). A single PAYE plan would:

• Calculate loan payments at 10 percent of discretionary income, and eliminate the standard 

repayment cap, requiring high-income, high-balance borrowers to pay an equitable share of 

their earnings as their incomes rise;

• Forgive the remaining loan balance after 20 years of qualifying payments for borrowers with 

only undergraduate debt, and after 25 years for borrowers with graduate debt, to ensure that 

high-debt graduate borrowers, who may have higher incomes later in the repayment period, 

are more likely to repay their debt;

• Calculate payments for married borrowers filing separately on the combined household 

Adjusted Gross Income to ensure that married couples’ payments are based on their true 

ability to pay;

• Cap the amount of interest that can accrue when a borrower’s monthly payment is 

insufficient to cover the interest to avoid ballooning loan balances; 

• Cap Public Sector Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) at $57,500 to protect against institutional 

practices that may further increase student indebtedness, while ensuring the program 

provides generous relief for students committed to public service; and

• Prevent payments made under non-income driven repayment plans from being applied 

toward PSLF to ensure that loan forgiveness is targeted to students with the greatest need.
58

F. HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Overview

The Administration’s 2017 request includes $2.2 billion in discretionary funds for Higher 

Education Programs aimed at increasing the percentage of Americans with postsecondary 

degrees or credentials to achieve the President’s goal of leading the world in college attainment.

The request includes two signature mandatory Administration proposals, America’s College 

Promise and the College Opportunity and Graduation Bonus, to help expand college access 

and success. America’s College Promise would help ensure all Americans have the opportunity 

to pursue and succeed in higher education, with a goal of making 2 years of college as universal 

as high school, by letting millions of responsible students earn the first half of a bachelor's 

degree and the skills needed to succeed in the workforce at no cost. In the 2017 request, 

America’s College Promise also would provide grants to 4-year Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to offer newly enrolled lowincome students, including community college transfers, with up to 2 years at zero or 

significantly reduced tuition. The Budget would provide $61 billion in mandatory outlays over 

10 years to this program. The College Opportunity and Graduation Bonus program would 

recognize and provide a bonus to high-performing colleges that enroll and graduate a significant 

number of low- and moderate-income students, as demonstrated by high graduation rates for 

Pell Grant recipients and low cohort default rates, and encourage all institutions to improve their 

performance through a new investment of $5.7 billion in mandatory outlays over the next 

10 years. 

The Administration’s Budget also invests in innovation and building evidence of what works in 

postsecondary education at the institutional level through a $100 million request for the First in 

the World program (FITW), funded in the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education 

(FIPSE). The requested funding would expand the FITW program to include scale-up grants to 

support implementation of strategies proven to improve outcomes for high-need students as 

well as the rigorous evaluation of such strategies. Of the amount requested for FITW, up to 

30 percent would be set aside to support the implementation of projects at HBCUs and MSIs. 

The request includes $125 million for the Teacher and Principal Pathways proposal, which is 

designed to help institutions of higher education (IHEs) and nonprofit organizations, working 

closely with school districts, carry out the important work of teacher and principal preparation. 

Promoting a variety of high-quality pathways into teaching and school leadership is an essential 

component of the Administration’s strategy for ensuring that new teachers and principals 

receive the training they need to serve in high-need schools and for addressing inequities in 

access to effective and highly effective educators.

To help close gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups in college enrollment and degree 

attainment, the request provides $462.2 million in discretionary funding for the Aid for 

Institutional Development programs, the same as the 2016 appropriations level. The request 

would strengthen institutions of higher education that serve high proportions of minority and lowincome students, including HBCUs and Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGIs), by 

improving their academic programs, institutional capacity, and student support services. The 

Budget also provides $117.5 million in discretionary funding for the Aid for Hispanic-Serving 

Institutions program.
59

The request also includes $30 million for the HBCU and MSI Innovation for Completion Fund, a 

new competitive grant program designed to support innovative and evidence-based, 

student-centered strategies and interventions to increase the number of low-income students

and students of color who complete degree programs at HBCUs and MSIs. These institutions 

enroll a significant proportion of individuals from underserved and under-represented 

populations who are from low-income backgrounds or who are first-generation college students.

Promoting academic success and degree completion for students at HBCUs and MSIs is critical 

to the work it will take to once again lead the world in college attainment.

The request would provide $900 million to support college preparation and completion activities 

for participants in the Federal TRIO Programs. Of this amount, up to $20 million would be used 

to support a new TRIO Demonstration initiative designed to give existing grantees the 

opportunity to compete for increased funding to implement and evaluate additional, 

evidence-based, college access and success strategies, and support dissemination of 

strategies that prove to be effective at scale to all TRIO grantees. Additionally, the request 

includes $322.8 million to assist middle and high school students in preparing for college 

through Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). 

These programs are crucial to helping meet the President’s 2020 college attainment goal by 

getting more students into and through postsecondary education.

In addition, the Higher Education request includes $67.3 million, a decrease of $4.9 million 

below the 2016 appropriation, for the International Education and Foreign Language Studies

(IEFLS) programs, which help meet the Nation's security and economic needs through the 

development of expertise in foreign languages and area and international studies. The Budget 

also provides $29.3 million for merit- and need-based scholarships and fellowships to 

postsecondary students under Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) 

programs, as well as $11.8 million for model comprehensive transition programs through the

Model Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) program.

America’s College Promise (mandatory)

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $1,257.3

The mandatory President's America’s College Promise proposal would make community college 

free for responsible students, enabling them to earn a certificate, an associate’s degree, or up to 

2 years’ worth of credits towards a bachelor’s degree without paying any tuition and fees. The 

new grant program would provide funding to States that agree to waive tuition and fees in highquality programs at community colleges for responsible students, increase their own investment 

through matching funds, allocate a significant portion of State funding based on performance, 

and undertake a set of key reforms to help more students complete at least 2 years of college.

Reflecting America’s higher education model of shared responsibility, everyone will have to do 

their part: (1) States must invest more in public higher education and training; (2) community 

colleges must strengthen their programs and improve student outcomes; and (3) students must 

take responsibility for their education, attend at least half-time, and earn good grades, to stay on

track to graduate. In the 2017 request, America’s College Promise would also provide grants to 

4-year HBCUs and MSIs to offer newly enrolled low-income students, including community 
60

college transfers, with up to 2 years at zero or significantly reduced tuition. Participating HBCUs 

and MSIs would also engage in key reforms and innovations to improve student outcomes. 

HBCUs and MSIs play a unique role in creating and advancing educational opportunities for 

many of our Nation’s first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented postsecondary 

students, which is essential to building our Nation’s economy and strengthening the American 

middle class. This investment will encourage more students to successfully complete a 

bachelor’s degree by enrolling as new students (direct pathways) or transferring from 

community college (transfer pathways). 

To be eligible to participate, HBCUs and MSIs would need serve a significant share of lowincome students (at least 35 percent share of enrollment), implement promising and evidencebased reforms and innovative practices to improve student outcomes, including completion 

rates, and, in order to serve transfer students, have guaranteed transfer and admission 

articulation agreements with community colleges. Students who are eligible to receive a 

Federal Pell Grant and who meet the criteria above would be eligible to have their tuition waived 

or significantly reduced. The total cost of the America’s College Promise proposal is estimated 

at $60.8 billion in mandatory outlays over 10 years.

College Opportunity and Graduation Bonus (mandatory)

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $547.8

This mandatory proposal would reward colleges that successfully enroll and graduate a 

significant number of low- and moderate-income students on time and encourage all institutions 

to improve their performance. Eligible institutions may receive a grant that would support 

innovation, interventions, and reforms to further increase college access and success based 

upon the number of Pell Grant recipients they graduate on time. The program would provide an 

annual grant to eligible institutions equal to their number of on-time Pell graduates multiplied by 

a tiered bonus amount per student, varying by institution type. In addition, this program would 

encourage institutions to continue improving their performance and graduate even more lowincome students, by providing a significantly larger bonus amount for additional Pell graduates. 

Eligibility would be based on Pell students comprising a significant share of an institution’s 

graduating class, as well as on graduation and student loan default rates. Over the next 

decade, the Budget provides $5.7 billion in mandatory outlays for the College Opportunity and 

Graduation Bonus program.
61

Title III: Aid for Institutional Development

(BA in millions)

Programs

2015 2016

2017

Request

Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) ................... $80.5 $86.5 $86.5

Strengthening Tribally Controlled Colleges 

and Universities (TCCUs)........................................ 25.7 27.6 27.6

Strengthening Tribally Controlled Colleges

and Universities (mandatory TCCUs)...................... 27.8 1 28.0 1 30.0 1

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native

Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNHs).................... 12.8 13.8 13.8

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native

Hawaiian-serving Institutions (mandatory ANNHs) . 13.9 1 14.0 1 15.0 1

Strengthening Historically Black Colleges

and Universities (HBCUs)........................................ 227.5 244.7 244.7

Strengthening Historically Black Colleges

and Universities (mandatory HBCUs)...................... 78.8 1 79.2 1 85.0 1

Strengthening Historically Black Graduate

Institutions (HBGIs).................................................. 58.8 63.3 63.3

Strengthening Predominantly Black

Institutions (PBIs)..................................................... 9.2 9.9 9.9

Strengthening Predominantly Black

Institutions (mandatory PBIs)................................... 13.9 1 14.0 1 15.0 1

Strengthening Asian American- and Native

American Pacific Islander-serving

Institutions (AANAPISIs).......................................... 3.1 3.3 3.3

Strengthening Asian American- and Native

American Pacific Islander-serving

Institutions (mandatory AANAPISIs)........................ 4.6 1 4.7 1 5.0 1

Strengthening Native American-serving

nontribal institutions (NASNTIs)............................... 3.1 3.3 3.3

Strengthening Native American-serving

nontribal institutions (mandatory NASNTIs)............. 4.6 1 4.7 1 5.0 1

Minority Science and Engineering

Improvement (MSEIP) ............................................. 9.0 9.6 9.6

Total .................................................................... 573.4 606.7 1 617.2

Discretionary .................................................. 429.8 462.2 1 462.2

Mandatory ...................................................... 143.7 144.5 155.0

1 Mandatory appropriations are provided under Section 371 of the HEA, as amended by P.L. 111-152. These 

amounts include sequester reductions of 7.3 percent in 2015 and 6.8 percent in 2016 that went into effect 

October 1, 2014, and October 1, 2015, respectively, pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25).

The request for Title III maintains support for institutions that serve large percentages of minority 

and low-income students. Title III funding, which is awarded both competitively and by a 

formula that directs aid to specified institutions, helps provide equal educational opportunity and 

strong academic programs for these students and enhances the financial stability of the 

institutions that serve them. Funds may be used to plan, develop, and implement activities that 

support student services, interventions that promote degree completion, and faculty 

development; administrative management; development and improvement of academic 

programs; joint use of libraries and laboratories; construction, maintenance, and renovation of 

instructional facilities; and endowment funds.
62

The Strengthening Institutions Program supports institutions that provide educational 

opportunities to low-income and minority students. The 2017 request would support 

164 continuation grants and would enable the Department to award 12 new development 

grants.

Strengthening Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) supports 34 Tribal 

Colleges and Universities located primarily in remote areas not served by other postsecondary 

education institutions. These institutions offer a broad range of degree and vocational certificate 

programs to students for whom these educational opportunities would otherwise be 

geographically and culturally inaccessible. In addition, $30 million in mandatory funds is 

available under section 371 of the HEA for TCCUs.

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions supports institutions with 

undergraduate enrollments that are at least 20 percent Alaska Native and at least 10 percent 

Native Hawaiian students, respectively. The discretionary request would support continuation 

awards and enable the Department to conduct a competition for new awards for these 

institutions, which typically are located in remote areas not served by other institutions. The 

Department also will use $15 million in fiscal year 2017 mandatory funds to award new and 

continuation grants.

Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) supports any accredited, 

legally authorized HBCU that was established prior to 1964 and which retains a principal 

mission of educating African-Americans. Fiscal year 2017 funding would support 97 HBCUs. In 

2017, $85 million in mandatory funding is available for HBCUs.

Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions supports 24 institutions with schools of 

law, medical schools, or other graduate programs. 

Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) makes awards to primarily urban and 

rural 2-year colleges that have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 

40 percent African-American and that serve at least 50 percent low-income or first-generation 

college students. The request would support approximately 39 continuation awards. In 

addition, $15 million in mandatory funding is available in 2017 for continuation awards to 

23 grantees.

Strengthening Asian American- and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions

supports institutions with undergraduate enrollments that are at least 10 percent Asian 

American and Native American Pacific Islander. The 2017 request would support 

10 continuation awards for institutions serving this diverse population. In addition, mandatory 

funding of $5 million is available in 2017 to support approximately 11 continuation awards for 

these institutions.

Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions supports institutions that are not 

designated as TCCUs, yet enroll at least 10 percent Native American students and serve at 

least 50 percent low-income students. The discretionary request would support 7 continuation 

awards and an additional $5 million in mandatory funds would support approximately 

11 continuation awards.

The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement program would fund approximately 12 new 

grants and 29 continuation grants that support improvement in science and engineering 
63

education at predominantly minority institutions and increase the participation of 

underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, in scientific and technological 

careers.

Aid for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)

(BA in millions)

programs

2015 2016

2017

Request

Developing HSIs (Discretionary)................................ $100.2 $107.8 $107.8

Mandatory Developing HSI STEM 

 and Articulation Programs....................................... 92.7

1

93.2

1 

100.0

1

Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for 

Hispanic Americans (Discretionary)........................ 9.0 9.7 9.7

Total ................................................................... 201.9 210.7 217.5

 Discretionary ............................................... 109.2 117.5 117.5

 Mandatory ................................................... 92.7 93.2 100.0

1 Mandatory appropriations are provided under Section 371 of the HEA, as amended by P.L. 111-152. These 

amounts include sequester reductions of 7.3 percent in 2015 and 6.8 percent in 2016 that went into effect 

October 1, 2014, and October 1, 2015, respectively, pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25).

The Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) program funds competitive grants to 

expand and enhance the academic quality, institutional management, fiscal stability, and selfsufficiency of colleges and universities that enroll large percentages of Hispanic students. In 

2017, $107.8 million in discretionary funding would support approximately 200 new and 

continuation awards. In addition, mandatory funds provided under section 371 of the HEA 

would support approximately 109 continuation awards under the HSI Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Articulation program.

The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans program provides 

funds to eligible HSIs that offer a postbaccalaureate certificate or postbaccalaureate degreegranting program. The program is designed to help Hispanic Americans gain entry into and 

succeed in graduate study, a level of education in which they are underrepresented. The 

amount requested would support 19 continuation awards.

HBCU and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) Innovation for Completion Fund

Program Infor mation

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ 0 0 $30.0

The Administration requests $30 million for a new HBCU and MSI Innovation for Completion 

Fund designed to support innovative and evidence-based, student-centered strategies and 

interventions to increase the number of low-income students and students of color completing 

degree programs at HBCUs and minority-serving institutions. Priority would be given to 

applicants that commit to leveraging other Federal funding, especially funding provided under 

Titles III and V of the HEA, to complement and support the activities proposed under this new 
64

grant program. In addition, the program would give priority to strategies and interventions for 

which there is strong or moderate evidence of effectiveness.

International Education and Foreign Language Studies (IEFLS)

(BA in millions)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

Domestic Programs.............................................. $65.1 $65.1 $65.1

Overseas Programs ............................................. 7.1 7.1 2.2

Total............................................................... 72.2 72.2 67.3

These programs support comprehensive language and area study centers within the United 

States, research and curriculum development, and opportunities for American scholars to study 

abroad. In addition to promoting general understanding of the peoples of other countries, the 

Department’s International Programs also serve important economic, diplomatic, defense, and 

other national security interests. The request would enable the Department to help maintain the 

national capacity in teaching and learning less commonly taught languages and associated area 

studies and to continue to work toward increasing the global competency of all U.S. students. 

All funds requested in fiscal year 2017 for the IEFLS programs would support continuation 

grants and fellowships.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

(BA in millions)

Programs 2015 2016

2017

Request

First in the World (FITW) Awards......................... $60.0 — $96.5

Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student

Success. ........................................................ 5.0 — —

National Center for Information and Technical

Support for Postsecondary Disabilities......... 2.5 — —

Other/FITW Evaluation......................................... 2.2 — 3.5

Total............................................................... 69.71 — 100.0

1 Includes $1.9 million of funding the Department reprogrammed to FIPSE from other sources in the Higher 

Education Account. These funds, which would have otherwise lapsed, were used to make a partial award to an 

applicant that should have initially been funded but was not, due to an administrative error.

FIPSE awards competitive grants to support projects that are models for innovative reform and 

improvement in postsecondary education. The 2017 request would provide a total of 

$100 million for the First in the World (FITW) program. FITW is a competitive grant program, 

modeled after Investing in Innovation, designed to support the development, validation, scaling 

up, and dissemination of innovative solutions and evidence for what works to effectively address

college affordability and completion challenges for high-need students; including, but not limited 

to, adult learners, working students, part-time students, students from low-income backgrounds, 

students of color, students with disabilities, and first-generation college students. FITW builds 

evidence for what works in postsecondary education by supporting the implementation of 

innovative solutions and rigorous evaluation at increasing levels of scale to test the 

effectiveness of particular strategies. Increased funding in FITW would build on the 2014 and 
65

2015 competitions by providing larger grants to support scaling up of evidence-based strategies, 

and rigorous evaluation at scale, to help determine whether these strategies work in varied 

settings and with a wide range of students. The Administration plans to set aside up to 

30 percent of the funds available for the competition to support the implementation of projects at 

HBCUs and MSIs.

Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical Institutions

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $7.7 $8.3 $8.3

The request would support awards to tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical 

institutions that meet the program’s eligibility requirements to fund instructional and student 

support services under a reauthorized Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.

Special Programs for Migrant Students

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $37.5 $44.6 $44.6

Special Programs for Migrant Students include the High School Equivalency Program (HEP), 

which funds competitively selected projects to help low-income migrant and seasonal farm 

workers earn high school diplomas or equivalency certificates, and the College Assistance 

Migrant Program (CAMP), which makes competitive grants to provide stipends and special 

services, such as tutoring and counseling, to migrant students who are in their first year of 

college. HEP and CAMP programs focus on finding and assisting migrant youth who have not 

been able—due to limited or inconsistent educational opportunity—to complete high school or 

go on to postsecondary education. Funds would support services to approximately 

5,200 participants under HEP projects and 1,800 participants under CAMP projects, as well as 

outreach, technical assistance, and professional development activities.

Federal TRIO Programs

(BA in millions)

Programs

2015 2016

2017

Request

Talent Search....................................................... $135.1 $155.0 $149.1

Upward Bound ..................................................... 263.4 275.0 273.4

Veterans Upward Bound...................................... 13.5 16.7 14.0

Upward Bound Math-Science .............................. 43.1 49.4 44.0

Educational Opportunity Centers ......................... 46.9 56.1 50.2

Student Support Services .................................... 297.3 303.8 303.4

McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement............ 33.3 35.2 38.0

Staff Training........................................................ 1.5 2.5 2.5

TRIO Demonstration ............................................ — — 20.0

Evaluation .......................................................... 2.0 2.0 2.0

Administration/Peer Review................................. 3.7 4.3 3.4 

Total............................................................... 839.8 900.0 900.0
66

The TRIO programs are among the Department’s largest investments aimed at getting more 

students prepared for, into, and through postsecondary education. The request would maintain 

funding at the 2016 level and enable the Department to support nearly 3,000 TRIO projects 

serving middle school, high school, and college students and adults, while also launching a new 

TRIO Demonstration initiative designed to give existing grantees the opportunity to compete for 

increased funding to implement and evaluate additional, evidence-based college access and 

success strategies, and support dissemination of strategies that prove to be effective at scale to 

all TRIO grantees.

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $301.6 $322.8 $322.8

GEAR UP provides funds to States and partnerships for early college preparation and 

awareness activities to help low-income elementary and secondary school students prepare for 

and pursue postsecondary education. Several features of GEAR UP, including targeting entire 

grades of students, partnering with local organizations and businesses, and matching Federal

funds with local contributions, allow projects to serve large numbers of students. The request 

maintains funding at the 2016 level and would support new and continuation awards for 

approximately 39 States and 94 Partnerships in fiscal year 2017.

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $29.3 $29.3 $29.3

GAANN provides fellowships, through competitive grants to postsecondary institutions, to 

graduate students with superior ability and high financial need studying in areas of national 

need. Participating graduate schools must provide assurances that they would seek talented 

students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. The 2016 request would support 

approximately 609 fellowships.

Model Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID)

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $11.8 $11.8 $11.8

TPSID supports competitive grants awarded to institutions of higher education or consortia of 

such institutions to create or expand high-quality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and 

postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. The 2017 request would 

support 25 continuation awards, as well as a Coordinating Center that provides technical 

assistance to institutions with transition programs.
67

Child Care Access Means Parents in School

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $15.1 $15.1 $15.1

This competitive grant program supports the participation of low-income parents in 

postsecondary education through campus-based childcare services. Grants made to 

institutions of higher education must be used to supplement childcare services or start a new 

program, not to supplant funds for current childcare services. The program gives priority to 

institutions that leverage local or institutional resources and employ a sliding fee scale. The 

2017 request would support approximately 85 continuation awards.

Teacher and Principal Pathways

Program Information

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ — — $125.0

The proposed Teacher and Principal Pathways program is designed to help institutions of 

higher education and nonprofit organizations, working closely with school districts, carry out the 

important work of teacher and principal preparation. Promoting a variety of high-quality 

pathways into teaching and school leadership is an essential component of the Administration’s 

strategy for ensuring that new teachers and principals receive the training they need to serve in 

high-need schools and for addressing inequities in access to effective and highly effective 

educators for poor and minority students. The 2017 request would support approximately 

35 competitive grants to create and expand high-quality teacher and principal preparation 

programs.

Howard University

(BA in millions)

Programs

2015 2016

2017

Request

General Support................................................... $194.5 $194.5 $194.5

Howard University Hospital.................................. 27.3 27.3 27.3

Total............................................................... 221.8 221.8 221.8

Howard University is a congressionally chartered HBCU that plays an important role in providing 

disadvantaged individuals, particularly Blacks or African Americans, with access to a highquality postsecondary education. The 2017 request would maintain support at the 2016 level 

for Howard University’s academic and research programs, serving approximately 10,700 

undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and the Howard University Hospital. 

Federal support for the Hospital enables provision of medical, dental, and other health-related 

education, research, and training opportunities for graduate and professional students. The 

request includes $3.4 million for Howard University’s endowment, which is designed to assist 

the University in increasing its financial strength and independence.
68

Academic Facilities

(BA in millions)

Programs

2015 2016

2017

Request

HBCU Capital Financing Program ....................... $19.4 $20.5 $20.5

CHAFL Federal Administration ............................ 0.4 0.4 0.5

These programs support the construction, reconstruction, and renovation of academic facilities 

at institutions of higher education. The 2017 request for the HBCU Capital Financing Program 

would support the management and servicing of loan guarantees on previously issued loans, 

and includes $20 million in loan subsidy that would allow the program to guarantee $286 million 

in new loans in 2017. Funds also would be used to continue technical assistance services to 

help HBCUs increase their fiscal stability and improve their access to capital markets. The 

Administration is seeking legislative authority to raise the limits on total loan authority and the 

sub-limits on authority for loans to public and private HBCUs.

Funding for CHAFL Federal Administration is used solely to manage and service existing 

portfolios of facilities loans and grants made in prior years.
69

G. INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

Overview

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports sustained programs of research, statistics, 

and evaluation to study and provide solutions to the problems and challenges faced by schools, 

teachers, and learners. Investment in research and statistics activities is critical in order to 

identify effective instructional and program practices, track student achievement, and measure 

the impact of educational reform. Through its four centers—the National Center for Education 

Research, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Center for 

Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, and the National Center for Special Education 

Research—IES ensures that the Federal investment in education research, statistics, and 

evaluation is rigorous and relevant to the needs of educators and policymakers.

For 2017, the Administration is seeking $693.8 million for IES activities, an increase of 

$75.8 million over the 2016 appropriation. This request would enable IES to award 

approximately $55.5 million in new research and development grants in early learning, 

elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult education in 2017, including research focused 

on issues related to students with disabilities. NCES would receive an additional $13.4 million 

to support a wide range of activities, including re-initiating the Early Childhood Longitudinal 

Study Birth Cohort, developing a study on college loan performance, collecting additional data 

through the Teaching and Learning International Survey, supporting the My Brother’s Keeper 

initiative, and creating P–12 and postsecondary information hubs. The Statewide Longitudinal 

Data Systems program would receive an additional $46.5 million to make new grants to support 

the expansion of existing systems to provide near real-time information to policymakers on the 

impact of various education strategies, as well as to support enhanced national activities to 

improve data coordination, quality, and use. 

The request also would provide an increase for dissemination activities through an investment in 

Data Quality Initiatives (DQIs) to improve the Department’s program performance data and 

reporting. Finally, the request would continue the Administration’s commitment to supporting 

the Assessment, Regional Educational Laboratories, and Special Education Studies and 

Evaluations programs. 

Research, Development, and Dissemination

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $179.9 $195.0 $209.3

The request includes an increase of $14.3 million over the 2016 appropriation to support critical 

investments in education research, development, dissemination, and evaluation that provide 

parents, teachers, schools, and policymakers with evidence-based information on effective 

educational practices. The request would enable IES to sustain its efforts to produce and 

support the use of evidence-based practices in the field and in the Department, make 

approximately $52.3 million in new research awards, and provide an increase of $2.0 million to 

make enhancements to dissemination activities by investing in Data Quality Initiatives to 

improve the Department’s program performance data and reporting. 
70

Statistics

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $103.1 $112.0 $125.4

The Department’s Statistics program—operated primarily through competitively awarded 

contracts administered by NCES—provides general statistics about trends in education, collects 

data to monitor reform and measure educational progress, and informs the IES research 

agenda. The 2017 request, an increase of $13.4 million from the 2016 appropriation, would 

support the collection, analysis, and dissemination of education-related statistics in response to 

both legislative requirements and to the particular needs of data providers, data users, and 

educational researchers. The increase would provide $7.1 million to re-initiate the Early 

Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort, $2.5 million to support a study on student loan 

repayment and defaults, $2.8 million to collect additional data through the Teaching and 

Learning International Survey, $0.5 million to support statistical work on the My Brother’s 

Keeper initiative, and $0.5 million to support P–12 and postsecondary information hubs.

Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) 

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $54.4 $54.4 $54.4

The RELs serve as a necessary bridge between the research community and State and local 

educational agencies by building the capacity of States and districts to conduct and use 

research in order to bring the latest high-quality research and proven practices to the school 

level. RELs work in conjunction with other Department technical assistance centers to support 

State and district education priorities. Key REL activities include providing technical assistance 

on data analysis, evaluating programs and strategies, and analyzing State and district data to 

inform educational improvement. The requested funds would be used to support the first-year

activities for 9 of the 10 RELs under new 5-year contracts. RELs Southwest is on a different 

schedule and will be competed in fiscal year 2017. 

Assessment

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $137.2 $157.2 $156.7

The request would fund the ongoing National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and 

the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). NAEP measures and reports on the status 

of and trends in student learning over time on a subject-by-subject basis, and makes objective 

information on student performance available to policymakers, educators, parents, and the 

public. As the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what American 

students know and can do, NAEP has become a key measure of our Nation’s educational 

performance. The request would support NAGB in formulating policy guidelines for NAEP and 

fund the sampling and data collection; pilot testing; item development; and scoring, analysis, 

and reporting of NAEP assessments.
71

Research in Special Education

program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

BA in millions........................................................ $54.0 $54.0 $54.0

These funds support a comprehensive program of special education research designed to 

expand the knowledge and understanding of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities; 

answer questions about how children with disabilities develop and learn; and learn how best to 

support their development through improved teaching and special education and related 

services. Continued investment in such long-term programs of research is necessary to 

accumulate empirical knowledge and develop evidence-based practices and policies that will 

result in improved academic achievement, social and emotional well-being, behavior, and 

physical development for children with disabilities.

Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

 BA in millions...................................................... $34.5 $34.5 $81.0

This program supports competitive awards to State educational agencies to foster the design, 

development, and implementation of longitudinal data systems that enable States to use data 

on student learning, teacher performance, and college- and career-readiness to enhance the 

provision of education and close achievement gaps. Up to $18 million would be used for 

awards to public or private agencies and organizations to support activities to improve data 

coordination, quality, and use at the local, State, and national levels. The proposed 

$46.5 million increase would allow the Department to support $34.7 million in new grants and

ensure that data are available to answer key policy questions in such core areas as financial 

and resource equity and teacher preparation, compensation, and advancement. The increase 

would also support InformED by funding State data liaisons and a Support and Service Center 

to support SEAs with the collection and reporting of high-quality data. 

Special Education Studies and Evaluations

Program budget authority (BA)

2015 2016

2017

Request

 BA in millions...................................................... $10.8 $10.8 $13.0

This program supports studies to assess the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (IDEA) and the effectiveness of State and local efforts to provide special 

education and early intervention programs and services to infants, toddlers, and children with 

disabilities. The request would support an evaluation of preschool special education practices, 

a study of State and local implementation of IDEA, a study of post-high school outcomes for 

youth with disabilities, and the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study. 
72

III. PROGRAMS PROPOSED FOR ELIMINATION

Proposed Discretionary Program Eliminations

The 2017 request continues the Administration’s commitment to eliminating funding for 

programs that have achieved their original purpose, duplicate other programs, are narrowly 

focused, or unable to demonstrate effectiveness. Overall, Congress eliminated funding for 

approximately 50 programs since fiscal year 2010 for a total annual savings of more than 

$1.2 billion. The table shown below is followed by a brief summary of each program, in 

alphabetical order, that would be eliminated under the 2017 request.

Programs Proposed for Elimination in FY 2017

Program (2016 BA in millions)

Impact Aid Payments for Federal Property.............................................................. $66.8

Teacher Quality Partnership .................................................................................... 43.1

Total ............................................................................................................ 109.9

(2016 BA in millions)

Impact Aid Payments for Federal Property............................................................... $66.8

This authority provides payments to local educational agencies without regard to the presence 

of federally connected children and thus does not necessarily support the provision of 

educational services for federally connected children. 

(2016 BA in millions)

Teacher Quality Partnership..................................................................................... $43.1

This program supports the development and implementation of model teacher preparation and 

teaching residency programs to improve the quality of teaching in high-need schools and early 

childhood education programs. The 2017 Budget replaces this program with the broader and 

more flexible Teacher and Principal Pathways program, funded at $125 million.
73

IV. DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT

History and Background

Congress established the Department of Education as a Cabinet level agency in 1980. Today, 

the Department supports programs that touch on every area and level of education. The 

Department's early learning, elementary, and secondary education programs annually serve 

approximately 18,200 school districts and 50 million students attending more than 98,000 public 

and 32,000 private schools. Department programs also provide grant, loan, and work-study 

assistance to more than 12 million postsecondary students at more than 6,000 institutions of 

higher education.

The Department is responsible for administering education programs authorized and funded by 

Congress and signed into law by the President. This responsibility involves developing 

regulations and policy guidance regarding program operations, determining how program funds 

are awarded to recipients consistent with statutory requirements, and ensuring programs are 

operated fairly and conform to statutes and laws prohibiting discrimination in federally funded 

activities. The Department also collects data and conducts research on education to help focus 

attention on education issues of national importance.

Most Federal funds for education are distributed using one of three methods: a statutory 

formula based on certain eligibility requirements, such as the number of low-income students in 

a school district; a competitive process aimed at identifying the most promising proposals or 

projects targeting a particular educational purpose; or an assessment of financial need, such as 

the ability of a student or family to pay for college.

Key programs administered by the Department include Title I of the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act (ESEA), for which the Department’s 2017 request would provide $15.4 billion to 

help approximately 24 million students in high-poverty schools make progress toward State 

academic standards; and $11.9 billion for Part B Grants to States under the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act to help States and school districts meet the special education needs 

of 6.7 million students with disabilities. The Department also administers over 80 competitive 

grant programs that support efforts by States, school districts, institutions of higher education, 

nonprofit organizations, and other entities to strengthen excellence and equity at all levels of our 

education system, including efforts to address the needs of students and families in 

high-poverty schools and communities through innovative, locally developed solutions that 

expand educational opportunity, enhance teaching and learning, and improve student 

outcomes. Key programs also include Federal Pell Grants, which would make available 

$31.0 billion in need-based grants to 7.7 million students enrolled in postsecondary institutions; 

and the postsecondary student loan programs, which would help provide roughly $150 billion in 

new and consolidated Direct Loans to help students and families pay for college.

The Department’s programs and responsibilities have grown substantially over the past decade. 

Some of the growth has resulted from legislation that added responsibilities or changed 

requirements, including the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which created 

100 percent Direct Lending, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the DATA

Act, and the Federal Information Technology Reform Act. Carrying out the existing Higher 

Education Act and making sure institutions comply with regulations to protect student and 

taxpayer interests has meant more workload. In addition, the reauthorization of the ESEA by 

the Every Student Succeeds Act will significantly increase demands on the Department to 
74

establish rules, develop and disseminate program guidance, and provide substantial technical 

assistance to SEAs and LEAs to ensure a smooth transition to and implementation of the new 

statute. Other workload has also increased as the Department strives to improve its oversight 

of its programs and data. For example, the Office for Civil Rights has seen a surge in 

discrimination complaints received; Inspector General and other external audits have resulted in 

more follow-up; there has been a dramatic increase in the collection, use, and analysis of data; 

and we have placed a high priority on maintaining security of data systems and focusing on 

prudent financial and information technology management. 

Despite the dramatic increase in its workload, the Department has controlled its administrative 

costs by reducing the number of personnel and improving its acquisition and financial 

management. The following chart compares the cumulative percentage increases, from 2005 to 

2015, in the Department’s discretionary budget, total loan originations, and FAFSA applications, 

with the Department’s total decrease in full-time equivalent (FTE) usage.

19%

35%

44%

-6%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Department of

Education Discretionary

Budget (Includes Pell

Grants)

Total Loan Originations FAFSA Applications Department FTE

Percent Change

The Department's workload grew from 2005 to 2015 while FTE 

levels decreased.

Key workload indicators FTE
75

Salaries and Expenses Overview

Departmental Management

(BA in millions) 2015Footnote2016Footnote

2017 

RequestFootnote

Program Administration $418.261 $432.002 $474.832

Office for Civil Rights 100.00 107.00 137.71

Office of Inspector General 57.79 59.26 61.94

Student Aid Administration 1,393.423 1551.85 1,631.99

Other 9.284 9.284 8.834

Total 1,978.75 2,159.39 2,315.30

Full-time equivalent employment (FTE)

Program Administration 1,9121 1,880 1,901

Office for Civil Rights 540 589 753

Office of Inspector General 236 244 244

Student Aid Administration 1,375 1,537 1,621

Other 18 19 19

Total 4,0815 4,2695 4,5385

1 Excludes $4.74 million transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services for necessary 

administrative expenses per Section 491 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, P.L.113-128. Includes 

$12.0 million transferred to the account under the transfer authority included in Section 304 of the Department of 

Education Appropriations Act, 2015. 2 Includes $1.0 million in 2016 and $24.48 million in 2017 for Building Modernization.

3 Excludes $3.5 million transferred using the Department’s transfer authority to the Program Administration 

account. 4 Includes small Federal Credit Administration accounts and S&E activities in program accounts. 5 Actual FTE usage in 2015; target for 2016 and 2017. 
76

The 2017 Budget request for Salaries and Expenses (S&E) would pay the costs of staff, 

overhead, contracts, and other activities needed to administer and monitor the Department’s 

educational assistance programs. The Department of Education has the smallest staff of the 

15 Cabinet agencies, but its discretionary budget alone is the third largest, behind only the 

Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. As a result, the 

Department’s administrative funds are approximately 1 percent of the total annual program 

appropriations and new loan volume administered by the Department. 

The Department is requesting $2.32 billion for its S&E budget accounts in 2017, an increase of 

$156 million, or 7 percent, over the 2016 level. Two-fifths of the requested increase is for 

servicing costs necessary to manage the Department’s $1.2 trillion loan portfolio, as well as 

costs associated with awarding and transitioning to a new loan servicing contract. An additional 

one-quarter of the requested increase is for the proposed pay increases and an additional

269 FTE to (1) handle increased investigative workload; (2) bolster enforcement and oversight 

of the Title IV programs; and (3) implement key priorities including InformED, WIOA 

implementation, and student privacy. The Department would use 15 percent of its proposed 

increase for the renovation of Department-occupied buildings to help reduce the overall space 

footprint. The Department is expecting to achieve rent savings in 2017 after the Department 

reduces its footprint in 2016 by moving over 800 employees into smaller spaces. As a result of 

the move and greater reliance on telework, ED will no longer occupy space in three rented 

buildings. Requested funds in 2017 will allow the Department to shrink its footprint even further. 

The rest of the requested increase is focused on key priority areas including: student aid 

systems and operational costs necessary to originate, disburse, and manage Pell Grants and 

Student Loans; IT security to prevent potential security breaches; and IT infrastructure.

Department Employment

The 2017 request includes funding for 4,538 FTE, a net increase of 269 FTE from the 

2016 level of 4,269 FTE. Of the requested increase, the Department is seeking 21 additional 

FTE in Program Administration. More specific detail is explained in the Program Administration

section. The request also includes an increase of 164 FTE in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) 

to address staffing shortages and increased workload associated with Title IX investigations 

regarding sexual violence on college campuses. The increased FTE will ensure more robust 

monitoring efforts and reduce the time needed to resolve discrimination complaint cases. 

Additionally, an increase of 84 FTE in Student Aid Administration will bolster Federal Student 

Aid’s capacity to provide adequate Title IV enforcement and oversight for its contracts and loan 

servicing activities, its oversight of institutions, and Clery Act and Borrower Defense work.
77

Boston

New York City

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C.

Regional Offices

Field Offices

Location of the Department of Education 

Regional and Field Offices

Seattle

San

Francisco Denver

Kansas

City

Chicago

Atlanta

Dallas

Cleveland Sacramento

Long Beach

Puerto Rico Pembroke 

Pines

Pittsburgh

St. Paul

Austin

Phoenix

Nashville

Ann Arbor

Program Administration

The Program Administration account provides administrative support for most programs and 

offices in the Department. The 2017 request totals $474.8 million, an increase of $42.8 million, 

or 10 percent, above the 2016 level. The request includes $287.3 million for personnel 

compensation and benefits to support 1,901 FTE, an increase of $5.1 million from the 

2016 level of $282.2 million.

Non-personnel costs cover such items as travel, rent, mail, telephones, utilities, printing, 

information technology, contractual services, equipment, supplies, and other services. The total 

request for non-personnel activities in 2017 is $163.0 million, an increase of $14.2 million from 

the 2016 level of $148.8 million. Additionally, the request includes $24.5 million for Building 

Modernization to support the renovation of Department-occupied buildings to help reduce the 

overall space footprint, an increase of $23.5 million over the 2016 level. 

The overall increase is of $42.8 million is needed for: (1) improvements to the Department’s IT 

security to ensure the integrity of Department of Education data as well as to prevent potential 

IT security breaches; (2) 21 new FTE to address staffing shortages and high-priority initiatives, 

including InformED, WIOA implementation, and student privacy; (3) personnel compensation 

and benefits increases, including a proposed 1.6 percent pay raise in January 2017; 

(4) necessary spending to transition from the current network services and IT infrastructure 

contract (Education Department Utility for Communications, Applications and Technical 

Environment (EDUCATE)), which expires in November 2017, to a new contract; (5) developing 

a new Impact Aid System to replace the current antiquated system that is dangerously past its 

lifecycle, potentially jeopardizing timely awards to more than 1,100 Impact Aid recipients; and 

(6) costs associated with renovation of Department occupied buildings to help reduce the overall 

space footprint. 
78

The requested 2017 increase includes pay and non-pay resources to implement InformED. 

InformED is the Department’s groundbreaking effort to transform how the Department makes 

information available—and actionable—for internal users and for the public, building on lessons 

learned from the new College Scorecard. The InformED initiative would apply these lessons 

across the education spectrum, from early childhood to adult education. With intuitive tools for 

decisionmaking tailored to different audiences, new InformED “information hubs” would pull 

together the Department’s diverse array of data and studies on a particular topic, and allow 

open data access to help unlock answers to pressing education questions and needs. Many 

offices play a role in the data lifecycle, and functions would be spread across the following 

offices: the Office of the Chief Information Officer, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the 

Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development.

Student Aid Administration

The Student Aid Administration account provides funds to administer the Federal student 

financial assistance programs. The Higher Education Act Title IV programs, which provide 

funds to help students and families pay for the cost of education and training beyond high 

school, are the Nation’s largest source of financial aid for postsecondary students. This account 

funds functions across the student aid lifecycle, including: educating students and families 

about the process for obtaining aid and student loan repayment options; processing student 

financial aid applications; disbursing aid; servicing loans; collecting on defaulted loans; and 

enforcement and oversight of the Title IV programs.

Ensuring the smooth operation of the complex financial transactions and assisting the many 

participants involved in the student financial aid programs—and safeguarding the interests of 

both students and Federal taxpayers—is one of the Department's greatest management 

challenges and highest administrative priorities. Primary responsibility for administering the 

Federal student financial assistance programs rests with Federal Student Aid, the Office of the 

Under Secretary, and the Office of Postsecondary Education.

In fiscal year 2017, FSA will provide $139.7 billion in Title IV assistance to almost 12.1 million 

postsecondary students and their families. These students attend more than 6,000 active 

institutions of postsecondary education accredited by dozens of agencies.

SAFRA ended the origination of new loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)

program; since July 1, 2010, all new loans are originated and serviced through the Direct Loan 

(DL) program administered by the Department of Education. Although all new lending is made 

through the DL program, lenders and guaranty agencies continue to service and collect 

outstanding loans from the FFEL portfolio in addition to the significant number of FFEL loans 

serviced by the Department. The Department currently contracts with 12 loan servicers to 

service the Department’s portfolio of approximately 42 million borrowers.

The Student Aid Administration account represents 70 percent of the Department’s total 

discretionary administrative budget. The 2017 request would provide $1.6 billion to administer 

student aid programs, an increase of $80.1 million over the 2016 level. Seventy-four percent of 

the increase is due to higher servicing costs, which result from growth in the number of 

borrowers and more borrowers in repayment. In addition, $13.6 million of the requested 

increase includes staff pay and benefits for 1,621 FTE (a requested increase of 84 FTE),

including a proposed 1.6 percent pay raise. These staff will bolster FSA’s capacity to take 

enhanced enforcement action against high-risk institutions participating in Title IV 
79

programs. The Enforcement Office (EO) will work with multiple Federal and State agencies to 

identify potential misconduct or high-risk conduct of institutions, proactively use enforcement 

tools to gather information, and fully use available actions to seek remedies. The EO will also 

include enforcement as it relates to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and 

Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. Finally, the EO 

will ensure that students who have been affected by misrepresentation or otherwise defrauded 

by their institutions will have access to a transparent and fair loan discharge process. Lastly,

the request includes funds necessary to maintain operations for student aid application 

processing, origination and disbursement functions, and student aid IT system hosting; manage 

the acquisition strategy for FSA’s core contracts for application processing and student loan 

servicing; and improve data collection, reporting, and dissemination of student aid information to 

the public.

Office for Civil Rights

The Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigates discrimination complaints, conducts 

compliance reviews, monitors corrective action plans, and provides technical assistance on civil 

rights issues. Over the past 6 years, OCR’s workload has dramatically expanded as civil rights 

complaints received by the Department have increased from 6,933 in 2010 to an estimated 

10,900 in 2016. At the same time, OCR’s staffing has actually decreased, increasing the 

number of complaints per staff to 26. Despite the increase in complaints and decrease in 

staffing, OCR has managed to meet its performance goals for percentage of complaints 

resolved within 180 days. However, because of the recent increased complaint volume, the 

number of cases that have been pending more than 180 days has increased from 315 at the 

end of fiscal year 2009, to 1,311 at the end of 2015. The level of unresolved cases has been 

growing at a dangerously fast pace. Many of these cases, such as those addressing sexual 

violence and school discipline, are both more complex and more high profile. As a result of 

inadequate staffing, the length of time these cases go without resolution has increased. In order 

to meet its performance goals, OCR also has been forced to limit the number of discretionary 

enforcement activities it undertakes. For example, the number of compliance reviews initiated 

by OCR has decreased 80 percent since 1995 from 96 to 19 in 2015. To address this issue, the 

Administration is requesting a significant increase in FTE for OCR.

The 2017 request for OCR is $137.7 million, an increase of $30.7 million over the 2016 level. 

About $19.0 million, or 62 percent, of the requested increase is for staff pay and benefits for 

753 FTE (a requested increase of 164 FTE), as well as a proposed 1.6 percent pay raise in 

January 2017. An increase of $5.2 million is for information technology services, including 

contracts for the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), which will be used to support the 2015–

2016 data analysis and 2017–2018 CRDC data collections and provide resources for technical 

assistance to school districts on preparing and submitting accurate data. The remaining 

$6.1 million will cover overhead costs including increases in rent, Information Technology 

security, communications, background investigations and physical security. The requested 

funds would ensure essential program support to resolve complaints of discrimination filed by 

the public and to ensure that institutions receiving Federal financial assistance are in 

compliance with the civil rights laws enforced by OCR. 

OCR provides extensive information on its Internet site, including self-assessment materials for 

recipients, data on school characteristics, brochures, and other information for the public. In 

March 2014, the Department of Education released the CRDC data from the 2011–2012 school 

year—a massive undertaking that produced a comprehensive snapshot of civil rights data from 

the Nation’s 97,000 public schools and its 16,500 school districts, representing 49 million
80

students. It was the first comprehensive look at civil rights data from every public school in the 

country in nearly 15 years. For the first time, State-, district- and school-level information is 

accessible to the public in a searchable online database at crdc.ed.gov.

Furthermore, data from the 2011–2012 CRDC formed the foundation for OCR’s guidance on 

and related investigations into the inequitable and discriminatory administration of school 

discipline. These data have spurred educators to initiate systemic changes in discipline 

policies, and several States and districts have begun to focus more on alternative measures to 

suspension and expulsion. In addition to progress on school discipline, the 2011–2012 data has 

provided important information about the access to high-quality preschool and other early 

education options, allowing the Department to make informed, data-based policy decisions in an 

area that is an Administration priority.

Office of Inspector General

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducts audits and investigations of the Department’s 

programs and activities to help ensure accountability for taxpayer-provided funds and to identify 

management improvements. The 2017 request for the OIG is $61.9 million, an increase of 

$2.7 million over the 2016 level. Approximately 67 percent of this amount, or $41.3 million, is 

for personnel compensation and benefits to support a staffing level of 244 FTE, including a 

proposed 1.6 percent pay raise in January 2017.

The non-personnel request of $20.6 million includes $1.1 million to contract for the mandated 

annual audit of the Department’s financial statements. The scope of the audit would include the 

examination and analysis of account balances, review of applicable financial systems, and 

evaluation of internal controls and compliance with significant laws and regulations. 

Additionally, the non-personnel request includes funds to support the Council of Inspectors 

General on Integrity and Efficiency; and to continue to develop the ability to perform predictive 

analytics, a tool to identify patterns of fraud and risk, allowing the OIG to better target audit and 

investigative work. 
81

APPENDICES

• Summary of Discretionary Funds

• Mandatory Funding in the Department of Education

• Summary of Mandatory Funds

• Advance Appropriations for the Department of Education

• Total Expenditures for Elementary and Secondary Education in the United States

• Detailed Budget Table by Program