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Federal funding for certain school programs in San Benito County could be in jeopardy following President Donald Trump’s executive order to close the federal Department of Education on March 20.
Eleven of San Benito County’s public school districts currently receive grant money from the Department of Education. All of those grants are set to end Sept. 30.
School districts in California get most of their funding from state or local sources, and federal funds are disbursed for specific programs. Local and state officials say the closure of the Department of Education could decimate programs for school districts’ most vulnerable students.
Aromas-San Juan School District Superintendent Barbara Dill-Varga said funding for public schools would be in jeopardy not because of direct program cuts, but because mass layoffs could impact the grant application process. School districts have to apply for federal funding, and that process requires personnel resources, she said.
“If we have 50% fewer people there to answer questions, deal with applications and provide oversight for the distribution of funds, you can imagine how this is just going to muck up the works,” Dill-Varga said.
California Superintendent for Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a letter responding to Trump’s executive order that because Congress created the department, it can only be fully closed by an act of Congress. The move to significantly downsize the department, however, leaves districts across the nation wondering what their future funding will look like.
Linda McMahon, Trump’s secretary of education, laid off 1,300 employees in March, nearly half of the department’s workforce. A news release announcing the layoffs said the department would continue to deliver grant funding mandated by federal law to school districts.
“The Department of Education will continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview, including formula funding, student loans, Pell Grants, funding for special needs students, and competitive grantmaking,” the release said.
On April 3, the Department of Education released a letter saying that in order to continue receiving Title I funding, school districts must follow the Trump administration’s interpretation of civil rights law, which means money cannot be spent on programs that deal with issues regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.
Several states have launched legal proceedings against the president’s move. Thurmond said California will continue to challenge executive orders targeted at education.
Thurmond previously filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its executive order attempting to cut funding for schools with curriculum unaligned with the administration. In the letter, he emphasized that the executive order is illegal.
“Any change to the federal government’s obligations to protect students’ access to public education must come from congressional action,” Thurmond said.
Local school district funding
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, federal funding made up 10% or less of the funding in the 10 San Benito County public school districts in the 2021-22 fiscal year. That funding typically goes to services for low income or historically disadvantaged students.
Dill-Varga said one major cohort of students that could be affected by reduced federal funding is disabled students, as they often rely on special education programs.
“Special ed is an area where the costs one incurs to address the needs keeps going up every year, and they can be unpredictable,” Dill-Varga said. “You could have one student who has a long list of physical and other disability needs, and if you lose this funding, it can be significant.”
San Benito County Office of Education Superintendent Krystal Lomanto highlighted Thurmond’s letter in an email to BenitoLink.
“We will work with our state and federal partners to hold the administration accountable,” Lomanto said. “The values of our school community and our commitment to supporting all students remains unwavering.”
San Benito High School District Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum said that despite uncertainty, the district would be proceeding with its budget planning as usual.
“We’ll respond when there is a shift in federal law,” Tennenbaum said. “For now, we are focused on continuing to support the whole child as we decipher what, if any, decisions about the future of the federal Department of Education will have now and into the future.”
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