The Basic Education Coalition (BEC) is deeply concerned by the Administration’s FY2026 budget proposal, which calls for severe reductions in funding for foreign assistance programs—including those critical to advancing access to quality education around the world, as mandated by the READ Act.
Cuts of this magnitude—up to 83.7% to international affairs accounts when rescissions are included—would have devastating consequences for millions of children and youth worldwide who rely on U.S. leadership to access basic education. In the face of rising global conflict, humanitarian crises, and worsening learning poverty, this proposal represents a stark retreat from America’s longstanding bipartisan commitment to global education.
U.S. investment in global basic education is not only a moral imperative; it is also a strategic one. Education is one of the most effective tools to break cycles of poverty, promote stability, and bolster both the global and U.S. economies. For every dollar invested in basic education, the returns to communities and nations are substantial—through improved health, increased incomes, stronger institutions, reduced migration pressures, and new trading partners. Targeted investments in education contribute to stronger diplomatic ties and reinforce U.S. leadership in an era of growing geopolitical competition.
We urge Congress to reject these proposed cuts and instead protect and strengthen the U.S. government’s commitment to basic education around the world in support of America's safety, strength, and prosperity.