Federal funding of the U.S. Department of Education is set at $71.5 billion for FY19 with the President’s signature on H.R. 6157. The funding is an increase from FY18 levels by $581 million. 

The conference report recommends the Department of Education to award no less than 20 new grants between $100,00 and $1,000,000 in an Open Textbook Pilot. A 12-institution consortium led by UC Davis was awarded $4.9 million for open STEM textbooks under the FY18 appropriations Open Textbook Pilot which limited the amount of grant funds to $5 million.

The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants received a $70 million increase over FY18. The Department of Education also announced a state survey to examine the early implementation of these grants in all states. The survey will be conducted in Spring 2019.

Other key funding streams are outlined below:

• Title I funding will increase by $100 million.
• An increase of $95 million to the Career and Technical Education and Adult Education Program.
• An increase of $87 million for IDEA special education grants to states.
• TRIO and GEARUP are funded at $360 million.
• Title II A and Title III are level funded.
• The maximum Pell Grant award will be increased to $6,196 for the 2019-2020 school year.

Sara Kloek is SIIA's Director for Education Policy.