Teaching American History Grants FY ’12 Funding

The President’s fiscal year 2012 budget request for the Department of Education once again eliminates Teaching American History grants (TAH) as a separately funded program. As it did in FY ’11 the Administration proposed consolidating history education into a new program called Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education. However, TAH faces a more immediate threat. All $119 million in current year funding for TAH would be cut in the FY ’11 continuing resolution under consideration on the House floor.

In FY ’11 the Administration proposed $265 million in funding for the new initiative. In FY ’12 that amount would be reduced to $246 million. The Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education program would support competitive grants to States, high-need LEAs, and nonprofit partners to develop and expand innovative practices to improve teaching and learning of the arts, foreign languages, history, government, economics and financial literacy, environmental education, physical education, health education, and other subjects. There would be no dedicated funding for any of the disciplines.

It is important to remember this reorganization is dependent on the passage of a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the law that governs K-12 education. Congress is expected to attempt a rewrite of the law later this year.

5 thoughts on “Teaching American History Grants FY ’12 Funding

  1. Let’s get serious.
    Alan Simpson is insisting that cuts to discretionary spending will do little to nothing to resolve the deficit.
    “I’m waiting for the politician to get up and say, ‘There’s only one way to do this: You dig into the big four: Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and defense,'” he added. “Anybody giving you anything different than that, you want to walk out the door, stick your finger down your throat, and give them the green weenie.” thehill.com Wednesday, February 16, 2011
    We need to focus MORE on teacher professional development in history and the sciences (especially related to literacy) if the U.S. is going to remain competitive and if students are going to be able to meet the new Common Core State Standards.
    Arne Duncan’s proposal to mush all these programs together under “well rounded learner” will NOT get us there. Where is his research base?

  2. Teacher’s have said again and again how much they appreciate the intellectual and pedagogical support TAH has provided for them. Please save the TAH program!

  3. I know that the nation is facing serious challenges regarding the debt. However, when you cut funding for educational programs that will promote critical thinking and
    understanding of our nation’s history — you are undermining our future. All citizens
    have the right to have access to our past. The Teaching American History programs are a critical foundation for this to happen.

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