On March 20, it was publicized that President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the United States Department of Education (DOE). In a statement released by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the goal of this order was “[to send]  education back to the states where it so rightly belongs,” and give more opportunities for parents and the states to have autonomy over the education of their children.

Currently, the DOE is responsible for roughly 10% of the funding for grades K-12 in the American public school system. These funds play a key role in providing services for economically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities, conducting research on education, and ensuring that public schools who receive federal funding are enforcing civil rights.

Earlier this month, Dr. John Skretta, the interim superintendent of LPS, visited Washington D.C. with some staff as a part of the Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB). During this visit they were able to learn more about what is happening at the federal level concerning education, and they had the opportunity to meet with Congressman Mike Flood, who is currently serving as the United States representative for Nebraska’s first congressional district. Because Lincoln is within that district, Skretta and the staff also met with Josh Maguire, who is responsible for education policy in Flood’s office. A range of different important topics pertaining to LPS were discussed.

Skretta and NASB staff met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Hayley Sanon, as well as other staff within the department. In light of the recent executive order made by President Trump, it was essential that they spoke about the importance of the programs and funding that have been provided by the USDOE for public schools, including LPS.

Just a week after the executive order was announced, clear changes were seen in the operation of the USDOE. “Approximately half of the day-to-day workforce had been laid off, and it was quite apparent that it was not business as usual at the Department of Education,” Skretta said.

Despite this, the remaining staff reassured Skretta and NASB staff that the responsiveness from the federal level will not be interrupted, and work will continue. Based on what has been communicated to Skretta, the programs that the DOE provides will continue to exist under other federal departments or would be administrated by the State Education Agency.

In particular, this is important to LPS due to the fact that schools heavily rely on federal funding commitments and the technical support around providing those services. These funding commitments include Title I which is the federal funding distributed to schools with high percentages of low-income students and Individual Disabilities and Education Act (IDEA), the funding provided for special needs students.

Skretta has promised to remain consistent in the conversation regarding the future of this department. Later this month, Skretta and a number of LPS board members will be meeting with Senator Ricketts to further converse about the Department of Education and how it directly gives assistance to LPS students and staff.

For some, the idea of the USDOE being erased from the existing federal departments can evoke possible feelings of uncertainty. Despite the fact that plans and actions have been made in preparation for the DOE to be dismantled, according to Skretta, “Just because something is messaged in an executive order from the President, does not change existing federal law, it does not overturn longstanding legal precedent… The USDOE can not be dismantled except by an act of Congress.”