Bush sent the fiscal year 2007 budget request to Congress yesterday and it looks grim. Becky Lewis of OMB Watch summarized, “By focusing on the budget for sacrifices, as opposed to the tax cuts, the administration makes it quite clear that they are more comfortable with taking from low- and moderate-income families than they are with taking from the super-wealthy.”
I'm mostly interested in the ways this will effect the Arts in Education programs. For the sixth consecutive year, the President has eliminated funding for the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs which include programs for at-risk youth, teacher professional development, and arts programs and collaborations with schools.
Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch responded to the Administrations budget request with the following statement:
“Rather than zeroing out the Department of Education’s arts education programs, President Bush should ask for an increase. His State of the Union address recognized that we need to prepare a 21st-century workforce by fostering talent and creativity. While his American Competitiveness Initiative would substantially increase investments in math and science education, we also believe that one of the best ways to nurture creativity is to have children learn and actively participate in the arts. Studies show that students who participate in the arts are not only more likely to participate in a math and science fair but also out-perform their peers on the SATs by 87 points.”
The budget also suggests cutting $53.5 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
here's a breakdown:
While this serves as an important framework, ultimately Congress has the ability to change these funding levels. Advocates of the arts can write to their Members of Congress and urge them to increase funding for the arts and culture and restore funding for arts in education programs.