Statement by City Year CEO Jim Balfanz on the White House’s proposed budget

BOSTON (February 14, 2020)—Jim Balfanz, the CEO of national education nonprofit City Year, today issued a statement on the White House’s FY 2021 Budget.

“The White House released a budget blueprint that, for the fourth straight year, calls for deep cuts to domestic programs, including the elimination of funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and $5.6 billion in cuts to the Department of Education. The budget also includes a proposal to consolidate 29 K-12 education programs—including Title I grants to support public schools serving high concentrations of students from low-income families—into a smaller block grant. If enacted, the president’s proposal would once again eliminate CNCS, the agency that administers AmeriCorps and other essential national service programs, as well as jeopardize funding that Congress has dedicated to programs that support student success, particularly for those students attending systemically under-resourced schools, and foster safe and healthy school climates and learning environments.

“We join Voices for National Service and our colleagues in the education field in urging Congress to once again reject these cuts and increase funding for national service and critically needed education programs that have evidence of successfully improving outcomes for students across the country. Federal investments in AmeriCorps and education are essential to enabling local districts and schools to establish learning environments where all students have access to positive relationships and personalized learning support that encourage them to persevere through challenges, build on their strengths and thrive.

“City Year appreciates Congress’s long-standing bipartisan support for programs that strengthen this country’s commitment to building a more equitable and hopeful future for all of us. We call on Congress to continue to invest in research-based programs that develop the skills and mindsets of young people, ensuring that their talents and contributions are available to our communities in the future.”