If the Department of Education goes away, what does that mean for Fort Bragg-area schools?
Weeks before the Department of Education announced it would fire employees, Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. cautioned local leaders to brace for the impacts.
The change could be worrisome in an area reliant on funding for military-connected students.
Connelly told local leaders during a Feb. 7 meeting that "the potential dismantling of the Department of Ed" could mean funding from federal programs goes away.
With Fort Bragg considered federal property, several bordering counties qualify for impact aid, which 'assists local school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt Federal property, or that have experienced increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected children,' according to the Department of Education.
The funding is divided into four categories: federal property, basic support, children with disabilities and construction grants.
The Department of Education announced Tuesday that it was cutting its workforce nearly in half.
"The president's mandate, as directed to me clearly, is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know we'll have to work with Congress to get that accomplished, but what we did today is to take the first step of eliminating what I think is bureaucratic bloat," U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Fox News's Laura Ingraham on Tuesday.
Rep. David Rouzer, a Republican from North Carolina whose district includes most of Fayetteville, filed a bill earlier this year that proposes dismantling the department and reallocating its funds to states.
During the Feb. 7 meeting between the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and Board of Education, Connelly said the national School Superintendents Association warned there could be impacts to programs for low-income families, military impact aid and special education.
'If there should be a significant reduction in federal funds, we have got to have fund balance to sustain those programs,' Connelly told the elected officials.
The Fayetteville Observer contacted local school districts last week to ask how much impact aid they receive and what the funds currently go toward.
Impact Aid Cumberland County Schools receives is determined by the number of students who have a parent or guardian on active duty in the military; live in federal low-income housing or on federally owned property; or live with a parent or guardian who works on federal property, a spokeswoman said.
Cumberland County Schools had 12,132 federally connected students during fiscal year 2024, of which 8,001 were military-connected, Renarta Moyd, a CCS spokeswoman, said March 7.
For fiscal year 2025, 11,769 students are federally connected, of which 7,859 are military-connected, she said.
Moyd said that in FY2024, Cumberland County Schools received more than $4.69 million in impact aid for students who are military and federally connected. A $298,362 portion of those funds was also received for children with disabilities.
For fiscal year 2024, Cumberland County Schools has received more than $2.1 million for military and federally connected students and $84,392 for children with disabilities.
Moore County received $937,043 in impact aid funds for fiscal year 2023, and had 2,583 military-connected children enrolled in 2023 to 2024, a spokesman said.
'In Moore County Schools, which is among the lower-funded districts in North Carolina yet ranks in the top 10 for Grade Level Proficiency and Career and Technical Education (CTE) credential attainment, Impact Aid is crucial,' MCS spokesman Charles Batchelor III said in a March 12 email.
Batchelor said the funds support the district's military-connected student population through:
• Online enrollment to facilitate a smooth transition for service members' children in schools by allowing for pre-move registration.
• Nationally recognized Student2Student Programs that help new students, including military families, by connecting them with peers who are also military-connected.
• Helping fund student support services jobs, school security and the district's military family liaison.
• Technology enhancements.
There are at least 1,098 military-connected students, Hoke County Schools spokeswoman Alison Jones said March 10.
Jones said the numbers rely on parent participation, and, as a result, the data may not give a full accounting of military-connected students.
'The funds we receive from Impact Aid typically go towards supporting our exceptional children program, classroom support, and extracurricular activities — many of which specifically benefit our military-connected students,' Jones said.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Could impact aid go away for Fort Bragg area schools?
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Indianapolis Star
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Axios
2 hours ago
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A long-simmering fight over congressional security roared back to the surface this weekend following a pair of shootings against Minnesota state legislators at their homes that left two dead and two others hospitalized. Why it matters: The shootings have deeply unnerved members of Congress, who feel that any one of them could be the subject of an unanticipated attack — particularly at home in their districts and while in transit. Personal security details are largely a privilege for top congressional leaders and — in some cases — other high-profile members facing specific, credible threats. Rank-and-file members are renewing a push for greater security, arguing for their own details, greater safety measures at their homes and at airports and more stringent measures to hide their sensitive details. Driving the news: Minnesota state House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed at their home early on Saturday. The suspect, identified by law enforcement officials as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, also allegedly shot Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife at their home, leaving both hospitalized. Boelter was allegedly dressed as a police officer and driving a vehicle similar to those used by local law enforcement. He also had what investigators described as a "manifesto" that listed other Democratic lawmakers, as well as prominent abortion rights advocates, officials allege. State of play: The shooting sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) saying he asked for increased security for Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said he similarly asked security officials to "ensure the safety of our Minnesota delegation and Members of Congress across the country." The Capitol Police said in a statement Saturday it was "aware of the violence targeting state lawmakers in Minnesota" and had "been working with our federal, state and local partners," but declined to offer further details. What they're saying: "I call on the Capitol Police to assist in providing real solutions for increased security for members," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Thompson, who had a security detail in 2022 as chair of the Jan. 6 committee, said he expects "full cooperation and resources from Republican leadership." "We're just as exposed as [Hortman] was. We have no more security than she does. You know, Capitol Police is not equipped ... for 435 members, to keep them safe," Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told Axios in an interview. "It's not their fault," he added. "Things have changed. And as Congress becomes less functional in general, we can't even function to keep ourselves safe." What we're hearing: House Republicans held a call on Saturday afternoon, in which lawmakers exhorted their leadership to provide more security resources to individual members. Specific proposals included increasing security measures at members' homes and at airports, as well as boosting security for meetings, according to three House Republicans who were on the call. One of the GOP lawmakers, asked if leadership was receptive to those pleas, told Axios they "don't think so" and that "nothing's changed." A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) did not respond to a request for comment. What's next: Jeffries will host a virtual briefing next Tuesday afternoon on members' security, according to invites viewed by Axios. A senior House Democrat told Axios that their colleagues are "scared" and want their addresses hidden — as well as regular security updates — and "won't be silenced." Another House Democrat said there is "heavy demand" in the party for rank-and-file members to have their own security details. The intrigue: Moskowitz told Axios he may force a House vote on holding what is called a " secret session" so members can have sensitive security discussions "if I have to." Such sessions, in which lawmakers can debate on the House floor away from public view, are typically used to discuss confidential information, as was the case the last time the House went into a secret session in 2008. Moskowitz can force a vote on his proposal unilaterally through what is called a privileged motion. "Maybe it also won't come to that," he told Axios. "Maybe we'll hear something from the speaker in the next week."
