The Trump administration has recently decided to end a crucial educational funding program for children’s television. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which oversees public broadcasting in the United States, announced on Tuesday that the Department of Education has canceled the 2020-2025 Ready to Learn grant. This decision impacts PBS and 44 public stations, cutting off financial support for educational content for children.
According to Madi Biederman, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, the Ready to Learn program had funded educational content aimed at teaching children aged 5-8 about racial justice. She stated that this type of programming does not align with the current administration’s priorities. Biederman added that the Department would focus on funding programs that support “meaningful learning and improving student outcomes,” rather than what she called “divisive ideologies and woke propaganda.”
Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of the CPB, expressed concern over the decision. She highlighted that public broadcasting’s educational content has had a positive impact on children for decades. “Ready To Learn-funded PBS Kids content has produced real-world results for children’s learning for the past 30 years,” she said. Harrison also pointed out that the program has enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress due to its proven educational value. She promised to work with Congress and the Administration to secure continued funding for the program.
Interestingly, the last round of Ready To Learn funding was awarded during President Trump’s first term. At the time, Betsy DeVos was the Secretary of Education. Last week, Trump signed an executive order instructing CPB to halt all federal funding for PBS and National Public Radio (NPR). This directive is being contested on the grounds that CPB is a private nonprofit corporation, and the government lacks the authority to end its funding.
The cancellation of the Ready To Learn grant is expected to have a significant impact on PBS’s educational programming. Sara DeWitt, Senior Vice President and General Manager of PBS Kids, warned that this decision would harm the services PBS provides to families across the country. She emphasized that the grant has been vital in producing high-quality, educational content for children. “We will continue to fight to maintain this essential service,” DeWitt said.
The administration’s decision is part of a broader push against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, with the term “woke propaganda” seemingly aimed at shows that feature non-white characters. For example, the Ready To Learn program has supported shows like Molly of Denali, which focuses on Alaska Native characters, Lyla in the Loop, starring an African American/Jamaican girl, and Alma’s Way, centered on a young Puerto Rican girl living in The Bronx.
Other PBS Kids shows funded by the program include Work It Out, Wombats!, Ready Jet Go!, Elinor Wonders Why, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Super Why!, Peg + Cat, and the upcoming series Phoebe & Jay.
The Ready To Learn grant was first authorized in 1992 as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Grants are distributed every five years, with the latest cycle set to allocate $105 million. However, the program is separate from CPB’s congressional funding, which amounts to $535 million.
Other animated series, such as Carl the Collector and City Island, have also received CPB funding in recent years, with contributions ranging from $1 million to $3 million. The cancellation of the Ready To Learn grant will likely have a lasting effect on PBS’s ability to produce such content.
