Heavy Spending on Education - Essay Example

The paper "Heavy Spending on Education" is a good example of an essay on education. Presently, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) allots $69.9 billion in discretionary appropriations. Its elementary and secondary programs cater to about 14,000 school districts and 56 million students every year. Assistance, such as a grant, loans, and part-time work, is also given to over 15 million college students.
President Obama has created the “Race to the Top Program” which aims to reform public schools. This has helped in improving standards for teaching and learning. (U.S. Department of Education, 2011)
In February 2011, the budget in education made way for new investments on “early learning, reform and innovation, teachers and leaders, and college completion.” (U.S. Department of Education, 2011) ED had to cut the budget on certain education programs in order to invest in the aforementioned areas. This was a part of the proposed 2012 education budget. To make the program sustainable, the Obama administration suggested saving costs by removing subsidies to graduate students with loans as well as the giving out of two Pell grants within the same year to students. The Administration also eliminated 13 programs and reduced $265 million in career and technical education. Education Secretary Arne Duncan believed in the importance of career education, though the need for program strengthening and reformation should be given more priority over expansion. (U.S. Department of Education, 2011)
Let us not fail to acknowledge the efforts made by the Administration to continuously improve the education system. The Administration should, however, ensure that every penny of the education budget is efficiently spent and that policies and programs are strictly monitored.