Action for Wednesday, 3/26/25
What will we lose if we lose the Education Department?
Since 1979, when President Carter made it a Cabinet-level agency, the Department of Education has juggled school-related issues and priorities that would leave our smartest experts with mouths agape, including:
- managing a 1.6 trillion-dollar federal student loan portfolio for college and post-secondary students
- funding more than $15 billion for thousands of so-called Title I schools — schools that receive federal dollars to help low-income families.
- including more than $15 billion in funding for programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides grants to states for the education of children with disabilities,
- enforcing laws aiming to prevent discrimination in schools through the Department’s Office for Civil Rights,
- running data collection, statistics, and research monitoring student outcomes through the agency’s Institute of Educational Sciences.
- And all of this comes under the single umbrella of the Department of Education, and not scattered, disorganized, hither and yon.
Despite Trump’s signing the department’s death sentence last week, he claims that “critical programs will be protected.” The department is still expected to handle student loans and federal Pell Grants. IDEA funding for students with disabilities may continue, even though education advocates fear that’s not a sure thing. Public school supporters worry that without federal oversight, state leaders could spend the money on anything they want, including vouchers for private school.
Trump may be eager to end the Education Department “once and for all,” but It can’t be done without congressional approval. So at least we know where to direct our lobbying efforts!
(Use one or more of the bullet points below to compose your message)
Senators Wyden & Merkley, Reps. Janelle Bynum, Maxine Dexter and/or Andrea Salinas Talking Points: Hi. My name is _______ and I live in __________(include ZIP Code). I’m calling because I want you to…
- protect the Department of Education! Our children need it, and so do we.
- stop efforts to spread this department’s duties across multiple other departments and agencies. That will make tracking and supervision harder.
- stop policy changes that could allow red states to divert dollars into private schools, which don’t have to abide by federal education civil rights laws.
- think of America’s students! Our Education Department already serves them well and helps them prepare for the future.
- CNN – Trump wants to shut down the Department of Education. Here’s what that could mean
- NBC News – What to know about how Trump’s executive order will affect American education
- AP – Trump has ordered the dismantling of the US Education Department. Here’s what that means
