Latest news with #RobertKim
Boston Globe
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘I do fear it's not going to go to the students': Critics fear shift to state control risks education funding cuts
Related : As President Trump takes step toward shuttering the department of education, some conservative leaders are calling on him to go further and turn over funding for low-income and special education students to states through unrestricted block grants. Proponents argue the current system that directs money to individual schools with strict limits on what it can be spent on is inefficient and cumbersome. But critics worry converting the program to block grants will divert money from needy students and lead to long-term funding declines, as has happened with other block grants. In Massachusetts, such a move could jeopardize $500 million in Title 1 and IDEA funding and thousands of staff serving critical student needs. That's just a small fraction of the state's education spending, but in New Mexico and other less wealthy states, federal money is even more important, sometimes accounting for more than one-fifth of all education spending. Advertisement Title I sends more than $18 billion to schools that serve low-income children across the country, and IDEA directs another $15 billion to students with disabilities. because they say they could make better use of the money. Some states are But opponents say the history of other federal block grants predicts converting the programs into a block grant will lead to long-term funding declines. First money gets handed to states with little to no requirements, and then alleged misuse by the states is used as a justification to cut the grants. Advertisement One such case of block grant misuse is a 'Ironically, the desire to grant more flexibility ends up being the reason for the lack of future policymaker support, because we don't know how the money is being spent,' said Robert Kim of the Education Law Center, a progressive legal advocacy nonprofit based in New Jersey. 'The potential for waste, fraud, and abuse with a loosening of the reins here is enormous,' he said. been cited as a reason to cut funds. For example, and meal delivery for low-income seniors, a 'no-strings-attached slush fund for states with no accountability.' The program's funding when accounting for inflation has shrunk dramatically over time. Advertisement From 2000 to 2017, inflation-adjusted funding for 13 housing, health, and social services block grant programs fell by 27 percent, the data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities show. Related : Proponents of block granting education funds argue the existing system has failed to improve American schools and instead hamstrings schools and districts with too much bureaucracy. Title I and IDEA are allocated to schools and districts based on concentrations of eligible students and have strict rules for what the funds can be spent on. For example, a school can use Title I funds to help pay for a teacher's aide, but can't use it to pay their full salary unless the aide only works with low income students. At a 'The program's formulas have become increasingly complex,' Gentles said. 'The monitoring requirements have burdened states and districts and each level of government takes a hefty cut of the $18 or $19 billion in annual funding while low-income students continue to struggle.' Gentles argued it would be more efficient to combine federal education funding streams — such as Title I and IDEA, which goes to students with disabilities. 'Ensuring that all students have access to high quality education is a worthy goal,' she said. 'Pretending that Title I in its current form has met that goal is foolish.' Advertisement The conservative Heritage Foundation, which led the writing of Project 2025, declined to comment for this article. Massachusetts Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said the limited federal role of providing dedicated funds for high needs students is critical. While Massachusetts is committed to directing federal funds to high-needs students, the possibility of mismanagement in other states could lead to overall cuts, even to the Commonwealth. And that worries him. 'Students cannot afford to lose that support,' Tutwiler said. 'If those dollars go away, it would mean ... substantively reducing strategies that are designed to support meeting the needs of our most vulnerable students.' Kim, of the Education Law Center, raised concerns that by switching to block granting education funds, local education spending on needy groups could decline. That's because of rules that require districts to keep up their own spending levels if they want their federal dollars. 'If you block grant, there's a high risk that the requirement that states pony up their own share craters,' Kim said. 'Those laws have been critically important in education.' Heisey, the New Mexico mother, agreed. 'It's like, when the cat's away, the mice will play,' she said. 'Unless [states] know that somebody's going to be checking in on them, you know they're not going to do the right thing. And I think we've seen that for years and years.' Heisey said she is worried that under the Trump administration children like hers may be harmed if the government shifts federal dollars meant for low-income children and students with disabilities into individual state's hands. 'If the federal government is thinking about giving this blanket money to these states and saying there's no strings attached, I do fear it's not going to go to the students that it's intended for,' she said. Advertisement Mandy McLaren of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Christopher Huffaker can be reached at
Korea Herald
17-02-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Secondhand market app Karrot hits 2 million users in Canada
Korean service provider Danggeun Market announced Monday that its marketplace app, Karrot, has reached 2 million accumulated users in Canada -- an achievement that advances the company's push into the broader North American market. According to the company, Karrot doubled its Canadian user base to 2 million in just nine months, after taking two years to reach its first million users in May last year. The rapid growth is attributed to strengthened local strategies and expanded service coverage across Canada, except French-speaking Quebec. Karrot's focus on trust-based, neighborhood-driven secondhand trading aligns with North America's community-centered values, a company official explained. The official also noted that local users appreciate how the platform fosters face-to-face interactions, not just for transactions but also for building friendships and strengthening community bonds. Since launching its first international venture in the UK in 2019, Karrot has expanded to over 1,400 regions across four countries, including Canada, Japan and the United States. To accelerate its adaptation to the Canadian market, the company established Daangn Inc. in 2021, with co-founder Kim Yong-hyun leading operations since 2022. In 2023, it appointed Robert Kim, an expert in local commerce services, as CEO of its Canadian operations. The company emphasized that global expansion has been central to its vision from the outset, with its Canadian operations now serving as a cornerstone for broader North American growth. "We will leverage our expertise and experience gained in Canada to evolve into a global company with greater influence across the North American market," the official stated.
