Education Leaders of Color React to Biden’s Budget Request

Today, Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) CEO, Sharhonda Bossier, released the following statement reacting to President Biden’s budget request for 2023:

“In his second budget to Congress, President Biden continues to take steps to reverse decades of inadequate funding for children and families by proposing significant increases in funding for education and workforce development, including expanding access to federal student aid to DACA recipients, to expand access to capital for small and minority-owned business, to strengthen our public health infrastructure, and to continue to increase the supply of affordable housing and support economic development in underserved communities.

“And while we are disappointed the President’s budget would increase funding for the military, the police, and border patrols and surveillance, we are pleased that the President proposes to more than double Title I funding for under-resourced schools, increase funding for full-service community schools, invest $1 billion to increase the number of counselors, nurses, school psychologists, social workers, and other health professionals in schools, create high-quality summer and year-round job opportunities for underserved youth, and put us on a path to double the Pell Grant award by 2029.

“We understand the President’s budget is a blueprint – a plan that requires Congressional action to realize these important investments. Congress continues to be deadlocked on critical funding that would make high-quality child care affordable for all working families, provide universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year olds, provide tuition-free community college, invest in our HBCUs and other Minority-Serving Institutions, make the Child Tax Credit permanent, and provide health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. 

“The equity we hope education can foster is not possible if Congress does not fund programs that remove social and economic barriers to success for all. Now is the time to seek a bipartisan pathway toward ensuring that identity is no longer a factor in a person’s ability to access opportunities to thrive.”