WNEM: Potential Impacts in Mid-Michigan of Shutting Down the Department of Education

SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) – Potential cuts to the U.S. Department of Education are causing concern across the country as President Donald Trump considers shutting down the agency entirely.

The Department of Education collects data and research, oversees civil liberties for students, and distributes federal financial aid for schools, but the department could soon be gone, with Trump saying its budget is too large, looking to fulfill a campaign promise to send education back to the states.

“We service over 25,000 students and the impact of, or potential impacts to the United States Department of Education could have real concerns about what we do with federal funding that provides services, especially to our special education students throughout the county and our early childhood students,” said Saginaw ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Collier.

He voiced his concerns with the possible end of the U.S. Department of Education.

“Here in Saginaw, majority of schools are Title I schools that receive that funding. You’ll start to see after-school programs cut, tutoring programs cut, you’ll see family nights cut. You’ll also see the elimination of special education preschool, and many of our Head Start programs will be in jeopardy,” said Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D).

Trump has said he would like to see the department shut down and is reportedly considering an executive order to do so.

Completely eliminating the department would require congressional approval, but McDonald Rivet said cuts have already started.

“We’ve got an organization called West Ed that figures out how to help preschoolers learn math and all of best practices. Those sorts of things,” she said. “Those research contracts were all canceled last Friday.”

Locally, Collier said there are still more questions than answers about what this could mean for his district, but federal funding and equity in education could be at stake.

“We are highly concerned about ensuring civil liberties and rights for students and who is going to oversee that,” he said. “We have big concerns about the assurance of how students will receive funds and how the state budget of the education department budgets will react if federal funds are not provided into those state budgets.”

“I will fight against any cuts in education with every breath I have,” McDonald Rivet said.

She said she is ready to defend the U.S. Department of Education as it faces an uncertain future in the White House.

“When I was in the state Senate, I served on the Education Policy Committee and on the K12 Education Budget. There is nowhere near enough money at the state level to make up these gaps. We will see cuts in special education, significant cuts. We will see cuts in programming,” she said.

But some of the concerns with eliminating the department run deeper than funding.

“If this becomes a state-by-state consideration, then we have massive concerns, not only about free and appropriate education but about equity for all students and what that may look like,” Collier said.

Collier said the district is working with leaders on all levels to figure out possible next steps.

“Information is critical because there’s so much doubt and unease and uncertainty right now. Working with our local leadership, whether it’s municipal leadership, school district leadership, local boards of education, parents, voters, an opportunity to be able to spread the message about what the truth is and an opportunity to best understand what it is that we provide in public education and education in full as the greatest commodity in this country,” he said.

Meanwhile, McDonald Rivet said if Trump decides to dismantle the program through executive order, the matter could be fought in court.

“Constitutionally, you can’t eliminate a federal department through executive order. So, there are places where we are working through the courts to make sure that we’re following the constitution,” she said.

And both McDonald Rivet and Collier are also turning to the community for support.

“We’re asking people to call into our office with stories of how they’re being impacted and what’s very important to them. We’re asking people to call the White House Switchboard, you know, tell them this isn’t what they want, to be able to reach out to members of Congress and to the White House and stand up for education,” McDonald Rivet said.

“Anything we can do to provide more information or to welcome conversation and dialogues to reduce the concerns or consternations or confusion that families may have, to please give us a call at any of our local school districts or school systems in Saginaw County. But we stand in support of every single student, Saginaw County, regardless of ZIP code,” Collier said.

Eliminating the Department of Education would need congressional approval. A bill to abolish it called the Returning Education to Our States Act has been introduced in the Senate.