Senate Plan Provides Bigger Spending Boost for Federal School Aid

The Senate is on track to outbid both a House of Representatives plan and President Bush's request for education spending in fiscal 2005, while financing a couple of new programs aimed at helping states and school districts meet the mandates in the No Child Left Behind Act.

At the same time, a flexible spending pot for states and districts appears destined for either eradication or a drastic cut. The Senate bill would zero out the $297 million program, the Title V block grant, and the House version would all but do the same, chopping it down to $20 million.

The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved a 2005 spending bill last week that would bring the Department of Education's discretionary budget to $58.8 billion, an increase of $3.2 billion, or 5.6 percent, over...