Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand discussed the importance of the U.S. Department of Education at a press conference at P.S. 183 on Feb. 9, 2025.
New York’s children and schools could lose vital services to support their educational needs if President Donald Trump and Congress approve the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand warned on Sunday.
Critical Funding at Stake
Over 2.6 million kindergarten through grade 12 students in nearly 5,000 public schools throughout New York stand to lose critical funding if the education department closes, Gillibrand said during a press conference at P.S. 183 on the Upper East Side. The senator explained that services that fall under Title 1 could be cut. Title 1 is a federal program that gives supplemental financial assistance to schools and school districts that have a high percentage of low-income families and pay for programs such as special education, early childhood education, and early intervention services for students and infants with disabilities.
Impact on Students with Disabilities
She also said students in the state with disabilities could lose nearly $1 billion in annual support. Extracurricular activities could also be impacted if the federal education department is slashed. “You can’t imagine what working families will go through if kids aren’t busy after school and don’t have the support that they need,” Gillibrand said.
No Federal Money = Tax Hikes in New York
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who also attended the press conference, said abolishing the DOE would have a massive impact on New York–including more taxes. “This is $5.5 billion that the state receives annually from the Department of Education; $3.2 billion goes directly into our budget,” Hochul said, adding that much of it also goes into localities. “If that money is jeopardized, what I can tell you will happen is if localities lose that money, they will have to raise taxes.”
Reading Skills Continue to Decline
Trump’s call for the department’s overhaul comes at a time when student reading skills continue to fall drastically. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, shows significant declines in reading that are not back to pre-pandemic numbers.
What Does Trump Support?
An Executive Order that Trump signed on Jan. 29, states that he will “support parents in choosing and directing” the upbringing and education of their children. “When our public education system fails such a large segment of society, it hinders our national competitiveness and devastates families and communities,” the order states. “For this reason, more than a dozen states have enacted universal K-12 scholarship programs, allowing families, rather than the government, to choose the best educational setting for their children.”
Conclusion
The potential dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education has far-reaching consequences for New York’s children and schools. If approved, it could lead to critical funding cuts, impacting students with disabilities, and extracurricular activities. Additionally, localities may need to raise taxes to compensate for the lost revenue.
FAQs
Q: What would happen if the U.S. Department of Education is abolished?
A: Critical funding cuts could occur, impacting students with disabilities, and extracurricular activities.
Q: How much funding would be lost?
A: Over 2.6 million kindergarten through grade 12 students in nearly 5,000 public schools throughout New York could lose critical funding.
Q: What is Title 1 and how would it be affected?
A: Title 1 is a federal program that gives supplemental financial assistance to schools and school districts that have a high percentage of low-income families. It could be cut if the education department is abolished.
Q: What does President Trump support?
A: President Trump signed an Executive Order supporting parents in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children.
Q: Will the proposed federal changes impact NYC public schools?
A: According to a city Department of Education spokesperson, it is unclear when or if the proposed federal changes will impact NYC public schools.
