Imperfect Progress: An Analysis of the President's FY2010 Budget and its Impact on Children's Services
On May 11, 2009, President Barak Obama released his proposal for the FY2010 federal budget. In addition to funding government operations, the president’s budget proposal is a policy document that identifies the priorities most important to the administration. Virtually all of the funding proposals discussed in this brief will be debated in both chambers of Congress before becoming law.
This budget reflects the president’s priorities to strengthen families and his commitment to improving children’s health, education and school readiness. When combined with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the administration’s investments are solid first steps toward making children a higher priority in the federal budget. President Obama’s proposed budget would increase funding for school readiness programs like the Child Care Development Block Grant, Head Start and Early Head Start.
Other investments include setting aside dollars to fund health care reform, new programs in early care and education, and increases in Pell grants, Title I (elementary and secondary education), and special education. In addition, aid to state and local governments will also increase, largely through ARRA. While ARRA and the president’s 2010 budget proposal makes solid investments in children in many areas, other programs were either “flat-funded” – received no increase over last year’s funding – or received only modest increases. In short, the president’s FY2010 budget represents the administration’s priorities in key areas for children and families, but it is only a first step.
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