The Trump administration on Friday released its proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, outlining a plan that increases funding for the Pell Grant program while introducing sweeping cuts to student aid, institutional support, and federal research funding. The proposal calls for approximately $76.5 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Education, a reduction of […]
Department of Education
Banners at Department of Education Honor Education Leaders, But Charlie Kirk’s Inclusion Draws Criticism
WASHINGTON, D.C. — New banners featuring prominent figures connected to education and American history were installed outside the United States Department of Education headquarters on Maryland Avenue on March 1, as part of a campaign highlighting leaders who have influenced learning and public life. Among those featured on the banners are Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther […]
Critics slam Trump administration for moving to dismantle Department of Education during American Education Week
In the latest move under the Trump administration’s plan, the Education Department has begun transferring its employees to other federal agencies with the goal of ultimately asking Congress to dismantle the Department of Education. In a press release sent Tuesday, the Department signed six new interagency agreements to transfer some of the largest grant programs […]
How the Government Shutdown has Triggered my Teacher Shame
Teacher Shame, a term I use to describe the regular intervals at which I am reminded that I chose a low-paying job that seems to be considered unimportant by society. The current government shutdown has triggered me. The first time I felt this shame was when I watched the faces of my college boyfriend’s family […]
Federal Workers’ Union sues Trump administration over partisan shutdown messaging
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the nation’s largest federal employee union, filed a lawsuit on Oct. 1 against the U.S. Department of Education and Education Secretary Linda McMahon, alleging that the Trump Administration unlawfully compelled federal employees to distribute partisan political messages during the ongoing government shutdown. The complaint, filed in federal court […]
Supreme Court allows Trump adminstration to resume firing Department of Education staff
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump administration’s request to pause a lower court order requiring the Department of Education to reinstate nearly 1,400 employees laid off earlier this year. The unsigned ruling blocked a May decision by U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, who concluded the administration lacked the authority to “effectively dismantle […]
The One Big Beautiful Bill is an ugly threat to the students who need us most
As an educator in a Title I alternative school, I see students walk inside each morning, burdened by far more than textbooks. They carry trauma, learning disabilities, food insecurity, unstable home lives, and a deep sense that school has never truly welcomed them. Yet with focused, trustworthy support, I’ve watched those same young people grow, […]
Billions in approved federal K–12 education funds remain withheld by U.S. Department of Education
As of July 1, billions in federal education funds approved by Congress remain frozen by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), raising alarms among education advocates and state officials. These funds, intended to support summer and after-school programs for migrant students, English learners, and underserved communities, have yet to be distributed, despite being authorized in […]
