Toward a Stable Educational Equilibrium Page: 13 of 16

                                
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LEGISLATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PRESIDENT'S NEW BUDGET OFFERS LITTLE
GUIDANCE IN THIS MATTER. AT A TIME WHEN THESE PROGRAMS SHOULD
BE EXPANDING, THE BUDGET SUGGESTS THE TOTAL ELIMINATION OF THE
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM, A PROGRAM NECESSARY
FOR PROVIDING QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN THIS CRUCIAL AREA OF EDUCATION.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO REFUSES TO REQUEST ANY FUNDING UNDER THE BASIC
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1963, BUT RATHER HE REQUESTS
APPROPRIATIONS UNDER A PROPOSAL YET TO BE SPECIFIED AND TO BE
SENT TO THE CONGRESS LATER THIS YEAR. TWO GENERALITIES DO
APPEAR IN THE BUDGET. ONE RECOMMENDS THAT THE FEDERAL VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION PROGRAM SHIFT THE FUNDING FROM SUPPORT SERVICES TO
"INNOVATIVE PROJECTS.'.' THE OTHER IS THAT THE FIVE PROGRAMS FOR
STATE CATEGORICAL GRANTS SHOULD BE CONSOLIDATED INTO A SINGLE,
BASIC GRANT PROGRAM. WE DO NOT KNOW THE DETAILS OF THESE SUGGESTED
CHANGES, BUT BY NOW WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE
THAT "INNOVATION" AND "CONSOLIDATION" ALL TO OFTEN MEAN EITHER A
DECREASE IN FUNDING, CONSTANT FUNDING IN TIMES OF RAPID INFLATION
OR ELIMINATION OF VITAL PROGRAMS.
EXPANDED PROGRAMS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND AN INCREASED
FEDERAL COMMITMENT TO THESE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE ONE OF OUR HIGHER
PRIORITIES, BOTH TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND TO FIGHT INFLATION
AND RECESSION. AT A TIME WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH COLLEGE DEGREES
ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING EMPLOYMENT, WHEN OUR YOUTH CONTINUE
TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, AND WHEN OUR ADULTS ARE IN NEED OF
RETRAINING IN JOB SKILLS, WE SHOULD BE SHARPLY INCREASING THE
FUNDS FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST MAJOR
EDUCATIONAL SPEECH LAST YEAR CALLED FOR A "NEW PARTNERSHIP"

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