NSF FY02 Request: EHR; Dept. of Education's Eisenhower
Program
NSF's "FY 2002 Budget Request to Congress" states that
"The FY 2002 Budget Request for the Education and Human Resources
(EHR) Activity is $872.41 million, an increase of $86.79 million, or
11.0 percent, over the FY 2001 Current Plan of $785.62 million. In
addition, $144.0 million in funds are projected from H-1B Nonimmigrant
Petitioner Receipts in FY 2002." This brings the total EHR FY 2002
budget request to $1,016.41 million. According to the request, NSF's EHR
Activity " encompasses every educational level and type of learning
(formal and informal) in all parts of the country. Its programs develop
models and strategies for providing all students access to high quality,
standards-based educational opportunities."
There are eight Subactivities within Education and Human Resources:
The Math and Science Partnerships (MSPI)
is a new initiative to improve math and science education, proposed by
President Bush in his "No Child Left Behind" education reform plan. The
Partnership initiative would receive $200.00 million in first- year
funding. The budget document states, " The Partnership initiative
will provide funds for states and local school districts to join with
institutions of higher education, particularly with their departments of
mathematics, science, and engineering, in strengthening math and science
education. It is designed to mobilize the mathematicians, scientists,
and engineers of higher education to be part of the solution to K-12
education - to help raise math and science standards, provide math and
science training for teachers, and create innovative ways to reach
underserved schools and students. It emphasizes ensuring that all
students have the opportunity to perform to high standards, using
effective, research-based approaches, improving teacher quality, and
insisting on accountability for student performance. One of its key
objectives is to eliminate performance gaps between majority and
minority and disadvantaged students." Of the $200.00 million
requested for this initiative, $120.00 million would be redirected from
existing NSF education programs.
The Educational System Reform (ESR) budget
would decrease 59.0 percent, or $65.19 million, from $110.44 million to
$45.25 million. According to the budget document, " ESR programs
implement large-scale reform of science, mathematics, and technology
(SMT) education, particularly at the preK-12 level, across the
nation.... A total of $65 million is redirected in support of MSPI in
order to expand the reach of the models for action brought about through
ESR programs.... Remaining funds will support extant awards, with the
possibility of supplements, as warranted."
The Office of Innovation Partnerships
budget would decrease 11.8 percent, or $10.00 million, from $84.81
million to $74.81 million. This Subactivity supports the Experimental
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). No funds are
requested for Innovation Partnership Activities in FY 2002. A total of
$10.00 million is redirected to the Math and Science Partnership
initiative.
The Elementary, Secondary and Informal
Education budget would decrease 18.3 percent, or $37.00 million,
from $202.61 million to $165.61 million. The budget document states that
" Approximately $37 million is redirected in support of MSPI. FY 2002
funds will sustain continuing projects and focus on high priority areas
that create synergy for projects supported within MSPI " in areas of
Instructional and Assessment Materials Development, and Teacher and
Student Development.
The Undergraduate Education budget would
decrease 5.9 percent, or $8.35 million, from $140.95 million to $132.60
million. This Subactivity includes support for Curriculum, Laboratory,
and Instructional Development, and Workforce Development. The budget
document says, " The FY 2002 decrease of $8.35 million largely
reflects the redirection of funds in support of the President's Math and
Science Partnerships Initiative."
The Graduate Education budget would
increase 8.8 percent, or $7.75 million, from $87.75 million to $95.50
million. This Subactivity includes support for Graduate Research
Fellowships, Graduate Teaching Fellowships in K-12 Education, and
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships.
The Human Resource Development budget
would decrease 0.3 percent, or $0.25 million, from $90.69 million to
$90.44 million. This Subactivity, the budget document says, " seeks
to increase the participation and advancement of underrepresented groups
and institutions at every level of science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology education."
The Research, Evaluation and Communication
(REC) budget would decrease 0.2 percent, or $0.17 million, from $68.37
million to $68.20 million. The budget document states, " REC's
portfolio of nearly 200 projects spans early childhood through adult
learning, including preK-16 education. It is characterized by its
multidisciplinary expertise in cognition, learning theory, technology,
pedagogy, instructional workforce development, policy, and education
system reform."
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EISENHOWER PROGRAM:
Within the Department of Education, professional development for
science and math teachers has been funded explicitly within the
Eisenhower Professional Development state grants program. Total FY 2001
funding for the Eisenhower program was $485.0 million, with $250.0
million of that amount specifically set aside for science and math. This
year, the Administration's request would consolidate the Eisenhower
program into a broader Teacher Quality initiative. The budget request
calls for "$2.6 billion for State grants for improving teacher
quality, a new formula grant program that would combine funding from
several existing education programs, including the Class Size Reduction
and Eisenhower Professional Development State Grants programs, into
performance- based grants. The proposal would provide a $375 million or
17 percent increase over the antecedent programs to help States and
local educational agencies (LEAs) fund their own needs and priorities in
developing and supporting a high-quality teaching force."
