What would dismantling the Department of Education mean for Southern California schools? – Orange County Register
As President Donald Trump has threatened to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education, the potential ramifications have left education officials in Southern California concerned about funding.
Trump, who kicked off his second term with a flurry of executive actions, has said he would like to close the department “immediately.”
Shuttering the Department of Education — which provides federal assistance in education — has long been floated by conservatives. Linda McMahon, Trump’s pick to lead the department, suggested during her confirmation hearing moving some of the department’s programs to other agencies, such as transferring enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to the Department of Health and Human Services.
What exactly would be cut from the department — and exactly how it could be dismantled — is still unclear. But already, Southern California education officials say they are concerned about what the future of education will look like without the federal department — particularly when it comes to funding.
Federal funds distributed by the Department of Education don’t make up a lot of local districts’ budgets. For example, only 5% of Santa Ana Unified’s budget comes from federal funds distributed by the department, said Ron Hacker, the district’s associate superintendent.
But that amounts to “millions of dollars” used for students and teachers, Hacker said.
And for Santa Ana Unified, the second-largest school district in Orange County, losing even a small amount of its budget would be detrimental, Hacker said.
Santa Ana Unified’s board recently approved a plan to lay off nearly 300 employees — including teachers, counselors and staff. The board cited declining enrollment, depleting federal pandemic relief money and a spending deficit of over $108 million for why the cuts were needed.
If federal funding was halted, Hacker said, Santa Ana Unified would have to consider even more employee cuts.
“We don’t know if it would be a complete elimination of funding, a partial elimination of funding,” Hacker said. “We have zero information about what they are proposing.”
The majority of the district’s federal funds come from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Hacker said. That law makes special education resources available and free for children with disabilities. It also supports infants and toddlers at risk of developmental delays and gives discretionary grants.
By the numbers
A goal to make the department more efficient is understandable, but dissolving the Department of Education could mean a decline in federal funds for local districts, said William Jeynes, a professor of education at Cal State Long Beach who has an extensive background in government.
“It is entirely possible that in the end, the U.S. might fall in spending on K-12 public education because even if the federal government wants the states to pick up the slack, some will say, ‘How are we going to transition to that? We can’t do that quickly,’” Jeynes said.
In Los Angeles Unified, restricted funds (which include federal and state funding) make up nearly 10% of the district’s budget.
The largest school district in the Inland Empire, Corona-Norco Unified, has about 3.2% of federal funding as part of its budget.
Federal funds make up about 3.3% of Capistrano Unified’s budget, the largest district in Orange County.
In all, California received about $4.86 billion dollars in federal funding from the Department of Education during the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Tustin Unified Trustee Allyson Muñiz Damikolas said she would receive free lunch when she was in school, something the Department of Education helps to fund. She said she is worried that eliminating the department could cause students of marginalized communities to be left behind and cause the elimination of school programs.
“For me, I think the biggest question is, ‘Will only the elites have access to education, and will we leave marginalized communities behind,’” Muñiz Damikolas said. “I believe the attack on the Department of Education is an attack on public education in its entirety.”
The department was established in 1867 by then-President Andrew Johnson to collect data on schools and teaching that assist states in creating their education systems.
Under the Carter administration, Congress established the department as a Cabinet-level agency in 1979.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Trump’s plan to end the Education Department will “rip apart” a department that supports students and families.
“These actions are about sowing fear and confusion, not about supporting students,” Thurmond said. “We call on the Trump administration to keep your chaos away from our kids.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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