However, Congress must approve and authorize the new structure of many of these programs to reflect the President's approach on consolidation. Significant funding increases are proposed for a few existing programs and the block grant program on raising teaching quality. The technology block grant and the choice and innovation block grant funding levels that are proposed for FY 2002 are less than the amounts appropriated by Congress last year for the individual programs.
Many programs are level-funded or frozen at the previous year's level.
Additionally, the budget would expand funding opportunities for faith-based organizations and incentives for vouchers. This new program would help states and school districts implement comprehensive reading programs for children in grades K-3. This program would fund teacher recruitment, certification, and retention initiatives. This program would consolidate nine existing technology programs into a single performance-based grant. The funding would flow by formula to the states and be targeted to rural and high-poverty schools.