Safe-Schools Funding Slashed

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.metroweekly.com/news/?ak=6280

Anti-bullying program that includes work with gay students to be hit with more than $100 million in cuts

When Congress and the White House worked out their differences in early April concerning the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, it was clear that some programs important to the LGBT community would take a hit. But the consequences of their final agreement are now being felt.

The two primary federal grant programs that address bullying are being drained of more than $100 million.


JenningsKevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS), said the FY 11 budget for that office has been dropped by more than 25 percent from FY 10-- from $393 million to $288 million. And the FY 10 numbers were themselves down from $690 million in 2009, the last year of the George W. Bush administration.

The office's Safe and Supportive Schools program awarded its first $38.8 million in grants only last October to help 11 states measure and intervene in schools with the greatest safety needs. While existing grants will continue for the remainder of their four-year terms, Jennings said the office ''will not be able to issue any new grants this year.''

The grants enable the selected states to conduct in-depth surveys of students, family, and staff about school safety issues, such as bullying and harassment, and direct grant monies to the schools with the biggest problems, as indicated by the students.

Jennings said the administration had hoped to include another eight to 10 states this year and eventually offer grants to any state that wanted to implement such a program. Last year, 33 states applied. Jennings said it is ''really disappointing to see the gap between what the states want to do…and the fact that we aren't able to provide them the resources to do it.''

Budget cuts will also prevent another program from offering new grants this year—the Safe Schools, Healthy Students, a collaboration among the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice. The program has, since 1999, offered more than $2.1 billion in grants to local educational, mental health, law enforcement, and juvenile justice partnerships. The funds are used for safe school activities, prevention programs against violence and substance abuse, and student and early childhood mental-health and emotional support services. Many of the recipients, said Jennings, fund anti-bullying programs with the funds.

[sakabatou]

1. *headbludgeon*