President Submits 2026-2027 Budget Request
Basic Story
President Trump has submitted his proposed 2026-2027 Budget Request. This is his recommendation to the Congress which will now act on its contents and elements.
The Details
The President’s request, according to our federal partners at AASA (The Superintendent’s Association) does not vary much from the 2026 proposals with funding cuts, block grants and elimination of programs. Congress did not accept those proposals in their entirety and it remains to be seen whether they will accept these proposals.
Top line elements of the request are as follows:
• $76.5 billion in discretionary budget authority for Education Department for 2027, a $2.3 billion or 2.9-percent decrease from the 2026 enacted level.
• Cuts K-12 funding by roughly $6.5 billion.
• Level-funds Title I at $18.4 billion
• Increases IDEA, Part B by $489 million by consolidating the funding from six other programs
• Consolidates 17 programs worth $6.5 billion into a $2 billion grant program: the “Make Education Great Again (MEGA) Grant Program.” Most notably, it includes Rural Education Assistance Program (REAP) and Title II, Part A (Supporting Effective Instruction).
• Eliminates Title I, Part C (Migrant Education); Title III, Part A (English Language Acquisition); Special Programs for Migrant Students; and the Teacher Quality Partnership Program.
Up Next
The Congress will now begin to hold hearings into the budget request and develop its own budget proposals for negotiations between the two houses as well as with the Administration. Technically, the budget should be approved before October 1st which is the start of the new fiscal year.
We will keep you posted with the support of our colleagues at AASA.
NAPT Comments on EPA Request for Information
NAPT has recently submitted comments to the docket in response to a “Request for Information” published by the US Environmental Protection Agency regarding funding for the Clean School Bus program.
As members will recall, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) included $5 Billion for investments in clean school bus technology. During the previous administration, there was a stronger push for transitions to electric-powered buses although other technologies were eligible and funded. Some $3 billion of the available funds were committed, leaving $2 billion still to be allocated.
The new administration has made clear their intentions to lessen the focus on electric buses and this RFI seeks comments from stakeholders related to vehicle technology, effectiveness, cost and availability of power, and other topical areas spelled out in the “RFI”.’
NAPT submitted comments on April 6, 2026, that addressed several concerns about the program and the funding priorities. The bulk of our comments centered on the need to allow school districts and operators to make choices and decisions based on local needs and capacity. We also underscored the need for power sources for school buses to be absolutely reliable. School buses must be there for our children so they can access their education; there is no room for uncertainty.
We will keep you posted on the outcome of this RFI when the EPA addresses the comments they have received.
NAPT Joins FMCSA Partnership
NAPT Executive Director/CEO, Molly McGee Hewitt, was among the 40-plus national organizations present for the kick-off of the FMCSA’s “OUR ROADS, OUR SAFETY” campaign. She was joined by NAPT Public Policy Liaison, Peter Mannella.
The campaign brings together safety advocates and experts from across the spectrum of groups focused on truck and bus safety. NAPT is among the newest members of the group. FMCSA Administrator, Derek Barss, invited our participation during our personal meeting with him and his staff in early March.
Being a part of a national campaign with FMCSA presents opportunities for NAPT to bring more learning resources to our members, to advance our message among other organizations, and to partner at the highest levels of our federal government.
The campaign has a dedicated website, and we are thrilled to have our NAPT logo present with the many other organizations. Take a look at the site to understand more about “OUR ROADS, OUR SAFETY.”
NHTSA Kicks Off National Distracted Driving Month
April 2026 is NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVING MONTH!
NAPT Executive Director/CEO, Molly McGee Hewitt, and Public Policy Liaison, Peter Mannella, were on hand when NHTSA Administrator, Jonathan Morrison, was joined by FMCSA Administrator, Derek Barss, to kick-off the month at DOT headquarters in Washington DC.
In a moving ceremony, the two administrators were joined by a Connecticut Police Chief and the mother of a young women who was killed in a distracted driving-related crash. The group hung key fobs on a wall covered in such fobs representing the more than 36,000 individuals who lose their lives every year due to distracted driving.
NAPT encourages our members to alert school bus drivers to the dangers of distracted driving and to enforce federal, state and local laws related to distracted driving.
We also encourage you to visit the NHTSA website dedicated to this issue!!
NTSB Focused on Safety
Meeting with Board and Staff
In a meeting in Washington DC, NAPT Executive Director/CEO, Molly McGee Hewitt, shared numerous issues of concern to NAPT with staff leadership from the National Transportation Safety Board. Public Policy Liaison, Peter Mannella, joined Molly for the meeting, With NTSB Vice-Chair, Michael Graham, on hand, she discussed ways in which we could bring NTSB information to our members on topics such as lap-shoulder belts, route and stop selection, alternative transportation services, electric school buses, cameras and other safety technologies.
Chaired the board meeting
The NTSB team was interested in our current positions on lap-shoulder belts and encouraged us to share their findings and recommendations with our members. We also discussed opportunities for NTSB to present a webinar or conference workshop reviewing the dozens of recommendations they have made regarding school bus safety.
Attendance at NTSB Board Meeting: Results
On the day prior, Molly and Peter attended a board meeting of the NTSB where they reviewed two crashes that involved Ford’s hands-free, partial automation system. The crashes (in San Antonio and Philadelphia in 2024) involved two vehicles crashing into the rear of stationary vehicles at highway speeds. One crash resulted in one fatality and the second resulted in two fatalities.
met with Molly and Peter
As a result of the investigation reviewed at that board meeting, the NTSB issued recommendations to the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA and Ford calling for:
• stronger federal guidelines and performance standards for safety features of partial automation systems,
• crash data recording and automatic crash notification requirements,
• improved driver monitoring systems to detect distraction, and
• changes to Ford’s BlueCruise system to reduce excessive speeding and improve driver attention.
Chairperson Jennifer Homendy offered the following observation about the fast-emerging technology:
“This investigation highlights the urgent need for stronger safety standards and better oversight of automated driving systems,” said NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. “Manufacturers and federal regulators must ensure these technologies are designed, monitored and implemented in ways that keep all our road users safe. We cannot take a ‘hands off’ approach to hands-free driving technology. Lives depend on it.”
NAPT looks forward to a strong and dynamic relationship with the Board and staff at the NTSB!
Peter Mannella (pfman5@gmail.com) is chair of the NAPT Public Policy Committee.