The Department of Education

Most Recent Updates

Trump is threatening to withhold funding from schools who utilize anything they deem “DEI’. Due to the ambiguity of the term, schools are unsure of what falls in that category. The goal of the administration is to scare schools away from mentioning race, gender, or sexuality in any way.

The Trump administration attempted to freeze federal grants. The administration walked back this attempt after a freeze of the freeze was issued by a judge.

What is happening?

• An independent research arm within the U.S. Department of Education is being all but shut down, employees of the department say. The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is responsible for gathering and disseminating data on a wide range of topics, including research-backed teaching practices and the state of U.S. student achievement.
• Rolling back Title IX protections that fund women’s sports
• Donald Trump has made it clear he would “like it to be closed immediately.”

What does it do?

The U.S. Department of Education is the federal agency responsible for national education policy and administration of federal education funding.

• Ensures equal access to education
• Enforces federal education laws including discrimination based on race, religion, or ability
• Conducts research on best education practices to improve our system
• Collects data on current trends and outcomes
• Offers guidance to educators and parents across the country
• Managed federal loans and grants including the Pell Grant
• Does NOT create or assign curriculum despite current claims to the contrary

Who is impacted if it shuts down?

• Anyone who relies on funding for special needs children. This includes funding and support for both physical, behavioral, and developmental needs.
• Any student who uses Pell Grants or other federal aid.
• Women’s sports and any woman who relies on a sports scholarship
• Any marginalized group as schools would be free to discriminate based on criteria they see fit.
• Federal administration tasks will fall on the state resulting in higher state spending or inappropriate management of funds and resources.
• Low income schools using title 1 funding will be the most impacted.
• Teachers who use professional development grants to improve their ability to educate our children