Start with Obama’s 2017 budget, approved Feb 2016; and again (surprise, with increases) Dec 2016.
The Ed Budget fits neatly into 2 categories K-12 and College.
College student Financial Assistance is by far the single largest budget item. It is a total mess. I dare anyone to try to do an audit on it. Nobody has a clue what is a loan and what is a grant. Nobody has a clue how to collect payments on the loans. If you touch it, you own it.
K-12 is much simpler to address. In order of most money, #1 is Disadvantaged (Poor, immigrants, etc).
#2 is ESL English as a Second Language
#3 is Innovation and Improvement...like that really works.
#4 is School Improvement programs, ie for Homeless, Native Americans, etc.
#5 is administration of the above.
OPTIONs
#1 Eliminate all K-12 spending and their programs.
#2 Eliminate all K-12 programs; keep the money appropriated. Issue to parents “scholarships” for their kids. The money works out to $1,000 per kid K-12.
If designated for the 20% most disadvantaged (low income, Native American, physical/mental disability, define it as you wish) then the amount is about $5,000 per kid. Remember, most Education money is state and local money. The Fed money is for special programs like Common Core, ESL, etc.
Option #3 is keep some K-12 programs and eliminate others. eg. Keep ESL, eliminate PE, or vice versa. Now you become the swamp.
Eliminate the DoE.
The states can run their own education systems. If you don’t like one - move to another state.
But this is better than an increase. (Or is it just a reduction in the rate of increase?)
you should be @ OMB;>)