The House budget released last week substantially scales back the Governor’s modest Gateway Cities Education Agenda. Of the fives areas the administration identified for support, only two received resources.

The Governor requested $3.75 million for grant programs to help middle and high school students rapidly gain the English skills they must acquire to further their education and training. The House budget reduced this program to $1.75 million (after removing an $850,000 earmark included on this line for statewide ESOL teacher training).

Career academies, a critical effort to better connect secondary education with the skills students need to enter the workforce, was reduced from a $1 million line item to $500,000.

Combined, the two programs leave Gateway Cities with just $2.25 million from the original $10 million included in the Governor’s budget request.