Budget Cuts, High School Stumble, Higher Ed Accountability (Washington DC/National)

Concerns about cuts and eliminations in the proposed FY2006 federal education budget continue in this week's news, seeming all the more telling in light of the Administration's newly proposed "emergency" military spending supplemental, which, like the costs of revamping Social Security, weren't included in the initial budget proposal:

Costs of Education Slope Sharply Upward The Washington Post
Other Agencies’ Budgets Would Also Affect Education Education Week
Table: The Bush Education Budget Education Week
Congress to Colleges: Bush Budget is DOA Inside Higher Education
Molly Ivins: Bush budget proposals hurt children the most Naples Daily News

Meanwhile, plans to expand NCLB to high school don't appear to be gaining steam:

Bush’s High School Plan Off to Rocky Start Education Week
Odd allies oppose Bush education plan Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Wrong answer for schools USA Today

All this even though problems with many high schools are increasingly clear:

Governors will focus on high schools Philadelphia Inquirer
Perspective: Disaster Relief Education Week
Leave no grades behind USA Today
Students Tell What Works at Smaller High Schools
Gates Donates $28.5 Million for Support of Small Schools NYT
Gates Foundation gives $28M to support small NYC schools USA Today

Meanwhile, Secty Spellings proposes an even bigger NCLB expansion -- bringing accountability to higher education as part of the HEA reauthorization:

Spellings: Better Data Needed from Colleges CNN.com
The Spellings Agenda Inside Higher Education
2004 Reauthorization, Take Two Inside Higher Education
Colleges could learn from No Child law, ed chief says CHE
Education Head Asks College Accountability SF Chronicle
The Education Secretary's Knowledge Campaign CHE
Spellings Calls For "Strategic Vision For Higher Education" USDE
The Trouble With Ed Schools Education Week