Two From the DLC on IDEA

New Democrats Online has released this statement praising the IDEA reauthorization (and highlighting the role of the Democratic Leadership Council's Progressive Policy Institute in developing some of the principles that motivated it). And Eduwonk has an interesting post entitled "Bait and Switch on Ed Funding?" which discusses the budget Congress is about to pass. About IDEA funding particularly, Eduwonk notes:

FY05 level is $10.6 billion, an increase of approximately $500 million, or 5.2%, over FY04. This puts IDEA spending at about 19% of average-per-pupil-expenditure and less than half the “full funding” level of 40%. The final figure is $600 million less than the FY05 Senate bill level and almost $500 million below the FY05 President’s budget.