Making sure children have strong local public schools is part of the American promise. It is in our national interest to strengthen public schools and bring together children, families, and educators in a shared space of learning and growth. President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) this week threatens that promise and is a direct threat to our children, our families, our state, and our nation.
The order directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the U.S. Department of Education and ensure that federal funds are in “rigorous compliance with Federal law and Administration policy” and to “terminate illegal discrimination obscured under the label ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology.”
Importantly, while the president has signaled his desire to close the department, he does not have that authority. The Department of Education (ED) was established by Congress and only Congress can eliminate it, which is unlikely to be successful. However, the ED has already reduced staffing by about 50% and funding streams have begun to be cut, with additional cuts expected. While the president’s executive order directs changes to ensure the “effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs and benefits” the actions that have already been taken and the signals of more cuts and shifts to come undeniably and inevitably interfere with schools’ ability to serve and educate all students.
The vital role of ED has included ensuring that federal education laws are upheld, civil rights protections are enforced and essential funding reaches schools across the country. The Department of Education serves students nationwide by:
- Ensuring critical resources are available to support the education of students with disabilities through IDEA which serves 7.4 million students nationally and over 200,000 students in North Carolina
- Providing funding that helps educate 26 million students nationally from low-income families and communities through Title I
- Providing funding that allows students from low-income families to pursue higher education through Pell Grants which 6.6 million students receive and other federal student aid programs
- Collecting data and conducting research that is used to evaluate schools nationwide
- Protecting students from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability and age through the Office of Civil Rights
During the 2024-25 school year, NC schools received $1.1 billion in federal funding. On average since the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funding accounts for roughly 17% to 20% of North Carolina’s public school funding. Prior to the pandemic, federal funding accounted for about 10 to 12% of the state’s public school funding. Those dollars pay teachers, buy books, reduce class sizes, and help make sure our schools are serving the needs of our kids. Eliminating federal funding won’t improve our schools — kids will suffer, teachers will be put out of work, and communities will be left with fewer opportunities to grow and succeed.
Much of what is to come remains uncertain — we don’t yet know where and how current ED programs could be moved to other federal agencies or how a potential block grant that moves funding from the ED to the state would change guardrails on this funding or how many teacher and staff positions could be lost in our schools. But one thing is clear: if the Department of Education were to close, our state lawmakers will have an even greater responsibility in ensuring that education funding is adequate and equitable to serve every students’ unique needs and provide them with the resources they need to be successful.
Right now, the responsibility lies with Congress to vote to maintain our federal Department of Education and the critical functions it holds for protecting our students. We urge you to call your Representative in Congress to refuse to abolish the Department of Education. Click here to find your Senators’ and Representatives’ phone numbers.
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