As the U.S. Department of Education shrinks in size and scope, superintendents fear the ripple effects, including lost partnerships and valuable resources.
The Center on Reinventing Public Education interviewed about a dozen superintendents—and leaders who work closely with them—about the challenges they’re experiencing following shifts in the federal government’s role in public education.
The researchers wanted to know:
- What is the on-the-ground impact of the shifting federal landscape?
- What needs won’t be met because of deadlines in federal funding or support?
According to their feedback, the political “noise” is pushing leaders to safeguard their schools amid financial uncertainty and plan for worst-case scenarios, putting academic support for students on the back burner.
Superintendents’ fears and concerns
Budgets are the primary concern. Many superintendents worry that student welfare and learning readiness could worsen due to cuts in social and health programs.
One superintendent said her small district’s $5 million mental health grant ended two years early.
Superintendents also had several questions concerning the future of federal K12 funding, including:
- Which federal funds and programs have been, or will be, cut? Will districts be able to backfill to keep critical programs running?
- How will executive orders and lawsuits impact district budgets?
- Will the rules surrounding Title I and IDEA change, or will the funds be block-granted to states?
- If funds are block-granted, how will state governments respond?
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The ripple effect
Leaders were also asked about how canceled federal grants and contracts will impact their district operations. According to the research, superintendents report already losing valuable support from:
- Nonprofits and community partners that had provided services and support for things like teacher training and curriculum implementation. Leaders are cutting back services due to federal funding cuts.
- Advice and lesson-sharing from counterparts in other cities: Superintendents traditionally rely on advice and counsel from other district leaders. However, the variability in local circumstances makes information sharing difficult for others to relate to.
- States aren’t ready to fill voids left by the government: State education agencies that supported staffing with federal funds are announcing layoffs. Consequently, smaller districts are struggling with teacher recruitment and technical assistance from their SEAs.
- National data: Superintendents spoke about relying on federal and other national-level data systems to benchmark their progress and identify action strategies. With the elimination of national-level data systems managed by NCES or IES, leaders report losing essential sources of information.
For more information and recommendations on sorting through the noise, read the full research brief here.
