Education 2011 budget increased over 2010

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- The fiscal year 2011 Education Department budget request of $49.7 billion is a $3.5 billion increase over the current budget, the education department said.

"This budget sends a very clear signal to the country that this president is serious about education," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "There are some very innovative proposals in this budget that come from across America. We want to advance reform on a bipartisan basis."

The education financial blueprint offered Monday by President Barack Obama includes $173 billion in loans, grants, tax credits and work-study programs to help students go to college. The proposed budget includes a $3 billion increase in competitive funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including funding for the Race to the Top competition and incentive program, and money for school turnarounds, charters, school safety and programs around preparing, retaining and rewarding effective teachers and leaders.

The proposed 2011 budget also includes savings from a proposal to end student lending subsidies to banks and shift the funds to higher education and early childhood. Legislatively, the proposal passed the House and awaits Senate action.

The request increases the maximum Pell Grant by $160 to $5,710 and directs an automatically increase by the rate of inflation plus 1 percentage point annually over the next decade. It also includes the $10.6 billion to improve and modernize community colleges and $3.5 billion for the College Access and Completion Fund.

The budget also would provide $9.3 billion for competitive grants to states over the next decade to improve early learning programs and prepare students for success in kindergarten.