Lori supports increasing Title I funding for our low-income schools
Increase Title I funding for low-income schools.
Occurrences
Reduces funding by $5.2 billion (27%) for Title I grants.
Evidence
Congresswoman Trahan's education issue page says she supports 'the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public education funding' and lists the 'Supporting the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public education funding' as supported legislation.
The Department of Education's Title I, Part A page lists historical appropriations and notes 'Please see ED’s Budget History Tables for information on the President’s budget requests and enacted appropriations for major ED programs.' The page shows FY 2022-FY 2025 allocation data, with no lookback-window evidence here of a new enacted increase tied to Trahan.
The Department of Education describes Title I, Part A as a formula grant for State educational agencies and says LEAs target Title I funds to schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. Its funding table lists total appropriations of $17,536,802,000 in FY2022, $18,386,802,000 in FY2023, $18,406,802,000 in FY2024, and $18,406,802,000 in FY2025.
The Department of Education budget tables page links official FY2022, FY2023, and FY2024 Congressional Action documents. It states that the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 on March 15, 2022; the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 on December 29, 2022; and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 on March 9, 2024, each providing Department of Education funding for the fiscal year.
Congress.gov shows H.R.2471 became Public Law No. 117-103 on March 15, 2022. The CRS summary says the law included the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2022 among the regular FY2022 appropriations bills.
The House Clerk records Roll Call 66 on March 9, 2022, on concurring in the Senate amendment with amendment to H.R.2471. The vote passed 260-171, and the member list records Trahan, Democrat of Massachusetts, voting Yea.
Congress.gov shows H.R.2617 became Public Law No. 117-328 on December 29, 2022. The summary says the act provides appropriations for FY2023 and includes Division H, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023, which provides FY2023 appropriations for the Department of Education.
The House Clerk records Roll Call 549 on December 23, 2022, on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R.2617. The vote passed 225-201, with 1 present, and the member list records Trahan, Democrat of Massachusetts, voting Yea.
Congress.gov shows H.R.2882 became Public Law No. 118-47 on March 23, 2024. The summary says the act includes the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024, and specifies that the sums in the act are appropriated for FY2024.
The House Clerk records Roll Call 102 on March 22, 2024, providing for House concurrence in the Senate amendment to H.R.2882, with an amendment. The vote passed 286-134, and the member list records Trahan, Democrat of Massachusetts, voting Yea.
Trahan's official education issue page says she understands the importance of strengthening public K-12 education, that substantial investments in students are critical, and lists as supported legislation a resolution supporting the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public education funding.
Congress.gov shows H.R.1865 became Public Law No. 116-94 on December 20, 2019. The CRS summary says the law included the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020, and provided FY2020 appropriations to the Department of Education, including Education for the Disadvantaged.
Assessments
Title I appropriations increased during Trahan's House service, especially from $17.536802 billion in FY2022 to $18.386802 billion in FY2023, with a further small increase in FY2024. Trahan voted for the relevant FY2022, FY2023, and FY2024 education appropriations packages, including the FY2023 law tied to the major increase. In the federal House context, voting for enacted appropriations that increased the promised funding is enough to count the promise as delivered in the same term.
Trahan is a federal House member, so the relevant test is whether federal Title I appropriations increased while she was in office and whether she had plausible congressional credit through voting/supporting appropriations and education funding. Title I, Part A funding increased during her House tenure, including enacted increases in the FY2022 and FY2023 federal appropriations cycles. The promise was broad rather than tied to a specific dollar amount or bill, so enacted federal funding increases for Title I during her same term satisfy the outcome. Candidate-specific credit is modest because she was one member of Congress rather than the sole author, but her stated support and participation in the House appropriations process are enough for delivery on a broad spending promise.