President Donald Trump may sign an executive order this week to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The president has expressed his desire to return control of education to the states.
The Department of Education oversees the distribution of billions in federal funding to schools and colleges across the country. This has raised concerns about the impact on public schools, especially in rural areas. Senate Democrats warn that eliminating the department would negatively affect every district. Some educators fear it could lead to severe cuts.
Teacher Justin Broyles shared his concerns, saying, “We’re talking about cuts from the Department of Education that include Title I funds for our most needy kids and cuts to IDEA funding for students with disabilities.”
Although dismantling the Department of Education would likely require Congressional approval, supporters of the move argue that the programs funded by the department would not disappear. Instead, these programs would be managed by other agencies, like the Department of Labor.
Eleanor Walker, a teacher and mother of two from Birmingham, said she isn’t worried about possible cuts to the department. She believes most of Alabama’s education funding comes from state and local sources, which is how it should be. Walker explained, “The state Legislature and the state superintendent understand our state’s needs better than the federal government. What works for one state, like ours, may not work for others, so it makes sense to have local control.”
However, some people are concerned that any cuts could harm students, particularly those who need the most support, such as children with special needs or those from low-income or homeless families. Willie Mitchell, a parent and grandparent, expressed his frustration: “Education in this state is getting better. It doesn’t make sense to take that away after so much hard work. People have sacrificed a lot for our kids to get a good education. To just destroy it seems crazy.”
Federal funding makes up a small portion of Alabama’s school budgets, around 10% to 14%. A few weeks ago, Alabama’s state superintendent, Dr. Eric Mackey, discussed the potential shrinking of the Department of Education. He stated that many programs funded by federal money are passed through Congress, so they would continue regardless of the department’s fate. Mackey also expressed support for streamlining certain processes to reduce bureaucracy. “We’d like to see some of these layers cut back. But we definitely want to ensure that funds supporting children, especially those in poverty and with special needs, continue to flow from Washington without restrictions,” he said.
