Trump's budget plan seeks $1 billion in taxpayer’s funds for private religious schools

Trump’s New Education Plan Is All About Religious Schools

By Gary Nguyen --
14 Feb 2018 --

Part of his education plan is favoring private schools.

President Trump released his budget proposal for the next fiscal year. The budget dismantles education programs by reducing funds allocated to teacher training, removing public funded after-school programs, and introducing private school vouchers. President Trump’s budget is very clear with the intent of giving private education and religious schools a bigger role.

Trump’s budget plan seeks $1 billion in taxpayer’s funds for private religious schools[/tweetthis]

With the introduction of private schools vouchers, President Trump will reduce the education budget by almost fourteen percent compared to the current budget allocation. In its place, the budget allocates over a billion dollars to facilitate school choice. One of the features of this bill is private schools that offer religious programming. These schools can include more direct religious education than a public school. They also can be taught or run by a religious organization like the Catholic Church. Paying for these schools will also decrease public school funding in ways like school vouchers. With this in view, it is clear to see that one of the biggest losers in this budget is public schools.

For a budget proposal it is remarkably vague on the finer details. While the education docket is expected to receive a nine billion dollar cut, the proposal only specifies the use of seven billion. This tells us that the Trump administration is working on more cuts to make up for the deficit. By focusing on the privatization of the education system, the steps likely to be recommended by this administration could have devastating consequences for students.

Privatization proposals

From this proposal, the administration is putting in place structures for taxpayer’s money to flow to private schools. Trumps administration also supports a bigger parent role in the children’s education. Thus the introduction of school choice. The school choice program is expected to siphon a billion dollars directly to religious schools.

Inc Elimination of funding for teacher support and after-school programs

The budget proposal also eliminates funding for Title II of the Every Student Succeeds Act. If enforced, this cut will interfere with the already fragile access to guidance in after-school programs. The after-school programs offer students access to critical skills and services they’ll need as adults.