Guam – Education continues to be one of the priorities of the current administration. But the fiscal year 2020 budget earmarked for the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) shows a marked decrease from the department’s request for the incoming fiscal year.
In the fiscal year 2020 executive budget request, the government is proposing a $287.28 million appropriation for the education department.
This is $50 million dollars less than GDOE’s budget request. For fiscal year 2020, the department is requesting around $343 million.
Included in the government’s education budget is $500,000 reserved for school safety and facility upgrades for Simon Sanchez High School. Funding for SSHS is appropriated from the Territorial Educational Facilities Fund (TEFF).
Other funding allotments for GDOE:
- Textbooks and instructional materials – $1.5 million;
- Alternative dispute resolution/mediation services to all public
schools – $50,000, and; - Miscellaneous appropriations for various education programs (CHamoru studies, interscholastic sorts, health and physical education – $1.2 million.
The administration also set aside funding from funding from the TEFF for the Department of Administration for the lease of the Tiyan facilities. Around $4.17 million has been set aside for base rent and $829,844 for insurance and maintenance of Tiyan High School. Funding was also earmarked for the lease of the GDOE office building, and other infrastructure within the property.
Historically, the public education system has been appropriated with a budget that is less than their request. In the 2019 fiscal year, the department requested around $320 million but the government only granted an appropriation of around $220 million.
