NYC schools could lose $2B if federal Department of Education is abolished

NEW YORK CITY - New York City schools could lose $2 billion if the federal Department of Education is abolished, NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Avilés-Ramos warned.

Why does Trump want to dismantle the Department of Education?

What did President Trump say?:

The argument against the department for the past few decades is that it wastes taxpayer money, as our students aren't even leading in test scores. 

The White House is now preparing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE), but President Donald Trump would need approval by congress. This is a promise he's talked about for years and more recently at his campaign trial.

"We're gonna be giving back to the states. Let the states run education," Trump said. 

What did the NYC Schools Chancellor say?

What they're saying:

Avilés-Ramos said if the federal DOE no longer exists, $2 billion would be cut from the city's DOE budget.

However, she said the way the state distributes that funding to schools needs to be reformulated anyway. 

"More than ever, we really need the state to do its part. The city has done a phenomenal job over the last few years, and we want to make sure that we take advantage of state funding available to NYC students like those in temporary housing, our other vulnerable populations," Avilés-Ramos said. 

The move could significantly impact school funding, particularly in low-income areas that rely on federal dollars for programs like Title I and special education.

How are other New York state schools reacting?

The other side:

Joseph Ricca is a superintendent in White Plains who receives over $1 billion in funding for Title I, which is federal funding for extra support in schools with a high percentage of low-income families. 

"How will the funding mechanism related to things like Title I which was instituted to make sure that we are looking after and supporting our neediest students? How will those funding mechanisms continue to play out in the absence, potentially in a Department of Education and I think that's what remains to be seen," Ricca said.

Students nationwide have still not recovered from the pandemic with math and reading scores at lower levels.

The United States spends more money per student than many other major countries, yet our students underperformed compared to those countries. 

The main question now is, is the return on investment worth it? 

"The question that remains to be seen is that if the Department of Education would be changed or even abolished, how would the federal government make sure that those tax dollars that are coming from working Americans across the country are going to continue to support their local schools?" Ricca said. 

What does the Dept. of Education do?

The backstory:

The United States Department of Education was established in 1867 by President Andrew Johnson to gather information and statistics about schools across the country. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter re-established the Dept. of Education as a cabinet-level agency, which began operating in 1980.

At its core, the agency sets policy, administers federal education aid, and helps the president enforce education laws to ensure every student gets the education they need and deserve.

Who is Linda McMahon?

Linda McMahon was tapped as Education Secretary, a key figure in Donald Trump’s circle, having previously served in his first administration and supported his campaigns.

In a meeting on Feb. 4, when asked why he would put McMahon in charge of the department only to get rid of it, Trump said, "I want her to put herself out of a job."

The president said he’d like to leave the business of running schools to the states. He said he’d try to dismantle the department with an executive order but said he believed he would need to work with Congress to dissolve the agency.

Unwinding the department would likely require Congress to act.

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