20-03-2025
Public school advocates worry about lack of planning as Trump moves to close US Education Department
Dianna Miller, a lobbyist for the Large School Group, talks with a follow public school advocate at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre on Jan. 29, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
South Dakota public education advocates are anxious about the impending closure of the U.S. Department of Education, saying they don't see a plan of action for how federal funding will be distributed moving forward.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle her department and 'return education authority to the states.' The move follows a recent 50% reduction in department staff.
Sandra Waltman, director of public affairs for the South Dakota Education Association, described the situation as chaotic, particularly for districts reliant on federal Title I funding that supports schools with high numbers of low-income students.
'If you close down the Department of Education without a plan for ensuring that programs like Title I and special education services continue, then what happens to the students who depend on them?' Waltman said.
Trump signs order directing Education secretary to shut down her own department
Public education advocates in South Dakota were already concerned about the sweeping staff reductions to the federal department, warning of potential disruptions to federally funded programs.
'What we need to know is if there's an implementation plan,' said Rob Monson, executive director of School Administrators of South Dakota. 'If not, we're really at a loss for what to do next.'
Special education funding is another concern, because federal funding supplements local resources to cover services like specialized teachers, transportation and individualized education plans for students with disabilities. Advocates fear that shifting federal funds into block grants managed by the state — as proposed by some Republican politicians including Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota — could lead to budget cuts at the legislative level.
'My biggest fear is that when you turn this over to the state, it becomes state money, and we know how that can go,' said Dianna Miller, a lobbyist for large public schools in the state. 'We've already had to face education funding cuts this year.'
Waltman also warned of the potential ripple effect on South Dakota's universities, whose students rely on federal student loans and grants.
'We're just starting to bounce back in enrollment,' she said. 'If students can't access federal aid, what will that do to our universities?'
Monson said uncertainty now looms over school staffing levels and program availability.
'Schools plan their budgets a year in advance, and this kind of uncertainty puts us in a difficult position,' Monson said. 'If federal funding mechanisms change or are delayed, schools will be forced to make staffing adjustments before contract renewals in mid-April. That means potential layoffs and service reductions.'
According to the Pew Research Center, South Dakota's K-12 public education system is the nation's second-most reliant on federal aid. The National Education Association reports that annual funding routed through the U.S. Department of Education to South Dakota includes $66.4 for Pell grants to college students, $57.8 million for Title I, $48.1 million from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and $30.7 million in career and technical education grants.
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