69ý

Federal Federal File

Hope and Faith

By Michelle R. Davis — February 23, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

A former White House official leveled criticism at the Bush administration last week over its so-called faith-based agenda, saying that efforts to promote the initiative have been more public relations than substance.

David Kuo, who spent more than two years working in the White House and eventually became the deputy director of President Bush’s faith-based initiative, lashed out at the “compassionate conservative” effort in a column on , a Web site about religion.

The president launched the faith-based initiative upon taking office four years ago to invite greater participation by religious groups in federal grant programs for such services as drug rehabilitation and after-school tutoring. Mr. Bush argued that religious groups had been mostly shut out of such participation in the past, and that they were well suited to provide such services.

Mr. Kuo wrote in his online column that despite professing his commitment to the idea, Mr. Bush hadn’t proposed to put money where faith-based groups could tap into it. One problem, Mr Kuo wrote, was that in Congress, “Republican indifference couldn’t overcome knee-jerk Democratic opposition.” But he said that “Capitol Hill gridlock could have been smashed by minimal West Wing effort,” which never came.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan defended the efforts last week and said the initiative remains a “high priority” for the president.

At the Department of Education, one of 10 federal agencies to have its own office focusing on improving the participation of faith-based and community groups in federal programs, drawing religious groups into the federal grantmaking process has seen an increase.

In fiscal 2001, $2.8 million, or 2.4 percent of the department’s discretionary-grant programs, went to faith-based groups. By fiscal 2003, those figures grew to $6.8 million, or 5.1 percent of grants. Numbers for fiscal 2004 are not yet final, said department spokeswoman Susan Aspey.

Though Ms. Aspey declined to address Mr. Kuo’s comments, she said the Education Department has made significant efforts to reach out to such groups, through conferences to help guide them through the grant-application process, technical assistance, Webcasts, and an e-mail listserv to more than 20,000 community and faith-based groups.

“We have quite an effort here,” she said. “We’ve really been working hard to get the job done.”

A version of this article appeared in the February 23, 2005 edition of Education Week

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Federal What a National School Choice Program Under President Trump Might Look Like
School choice advocates—and detractors—see a second Trump term as the biggest opportunity in decades for choice at the federal level.
8 min read
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's 69ý," event in the East Room of the White House, on July 7, 2020, in Washington.
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's 69ý," event in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2020, in Washington. He returns to power with more momentum than ever behind policies that allow public dollars to pay for private school education.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Trump's Education Secretary Pick Is Linda McMahon, Former WWE CEO
McMahon led the Small Business Administration in Trump's first term and is co-chair of the president-elect's transition team.
6 min read
Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, March 29, 2019.
Then-SBA Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, March 29, 2019. Trump has tapped McMahon to serve as education secretary in his second term.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Federal What Could RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary Mean for School Vaccine Requirements?
The vaccine skeptic in line to lead the mammoth federal agency could influence schools' vaccine rules, even though they're set by states.
6 min read
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 in Walker, Mich.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks before President-elect Donald Trump at a campaign event on Sept. 27, 2024 in Walker, Mich. Trump has selected Kennedy to serve as secretary of health and human services in his second term.
Carlos Osorio/AP
Federal Can Trump Force 69ý to Change Their Curricula?
Trump's bid to take money from schools that teach "critical race theory" or pass policies for transgender kids raises legal complexities.
9 min read
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks on crime and safety during a campaign event at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Howell, Mich.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks on crime and safety during a campaign event at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Howell, Mich.
Evan Vucci/AP