Statement on the Executive Order to Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education

Written by

22Beacon (Formerly Charter Schools Development Corporation)

The U.S. Department of Education serves a critically important function for our nation and should be remain as a cabinet-level agency. In addition to administering funding for several key K-12 programs including Title I for students in lower-income communities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with disabilities, and the Charter Schools Program which funds the start-up, replication and growth of high-performing charter schools, the U.S. Department of Education provides a strong federal backstop, ensuring protection for the nation’s most vulnerable students.

It is true that many of the historical gains in educational attainment and student achievement were enabled by flexibility and state-level autonomy. Indeed, 22Beacon has supported many organizations that took advantage of these conditions. And yet there must be a balance. The Administration has pledged to maintain funding for critically important programs that support students from low-income communities and those with disabilities, even if funds are administered by another agency. The nation will be watching carefully to ensure young people in vulnerable populations continue to receive the support they desperately need.

History has shown that students, especially those from low-income families and those in rural communities, suffer when there is no federal mechanism to ensure their needs are met and laws are being followed. Civil rights protections cannot be abandoned. Title 9 must be upheld. Accountability must once again be embraced as a bi-partisan value that is reinforced at the highest levels of our government. 

There is room to improve efficiency at the Department; few would argue against that. However, the best way to do that is by strengthening rather than dismantling the U. S. Department of Education.