Dear Editor, More than 47,000 California high school and middle
school students would lose their college opportunity programs and
more than $45 million in federal funding would be lost under the
Bush administration
’s proposed 2006 budget.
Dear Editor,
More than 47,000 California high school and middle school students would lose their college opportunity programs and more than $45 million in federal funding would be lost under the Bush administration’s proposed 2006 budget.
The president’s budget calls for elimination of two popular and successful college access programs – Upward Bound and Talent Search. These programs help low-income students become the first in their families to attend college.
Participation in these programs is based on family income.
These students need mentoring and encouragement in preparing for and applying to college because their families have so few resources.
Instead, their life-lines to college will be cut off if Congress lets this proposal stand. Upward Bound and Talent Search serve more than 455,000 high school and middle school students and veterans across the country.
Millions of students have gone on to college and become productive, tax-paying citizens after completing these programs during the nearly 40 years of operation.
It is our fervent hope that influential members of Congress, including Representatives Jerry Lewis, Randy “Duke” Cunningham, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Sam Farr, all members of the House Appropriations Committee, will recognize the importance of preserving programs like Upward Bound and Talent Search because they are the bridges to educational opportunity for thousands of first generation low-income students in California.
Arnold L. Mitchem, president,
Council for Opportunity in Education,
Washington, D.C.
