Category Archives: President Trump

SPI Thurmond Condemns Trump Plan to Dismantle ED – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

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Today, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond issued the following statement External link opens in new window or tab. in response to the Trump administration’s stated plan to enter into six different interagency agreements across four federal agencies, redistributing major responsibilities of the United States Department of Education (ED).

The four agencies that would receive staff and responsibilities from ED would be the Department of Labor, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of State. The programs that would be redistributed include those that serve the most vulnerable children, such as students from low-income communities.

Source: SPI Thurmond Condemns Trump Plan to Dismantle ED – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

White House visa fee hike could weaken California’s teacher pipeline | EdSource

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By Diana Lambert

A White House decision to add $100,000 to the price of a work visa, allowing employers to hire from overseas for hard-to-fill positions, has California’s technology industry and other businesses reeling. But another group is also on edge: the state’s schools.

California employs more teachers on H-1B visas than any state except Texas and North Carolina, according to a National Education Association analysis of federal data. Last fiscal year, 506 U.S. school districts employed 2,300 H-1B visa holders.

The demand for the visas from California school districts has grown over the last seven years as the state’s schools, facing teacher shortages, have turned to overseas teachers to help fill openings.

Source: White House visa fee hike could weaken California’s teacher pipeline | EdSource

How ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ affects students, schools and colleges : NPR

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In just six months, the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress have brought lasting change – and enormous unpredictability – to federal education policy.

The U.S. Department of Education, under Secretary Linda McMahon, has cut roughly half its staff. It is also withholding nearly $7 billion in grant funding to school districts – for before- and after-school programs, teacher training, services for English language learners and more – while that funding undergoes further review.

Source: How ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ affects students, schools and colleges : NPR

Impoundment of Federal Funds – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

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Today, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and other education leaders called out egregious federal overreach and demanded the release of vital school funds that students and educators urgently need to start the 2025-26 school year.

The day before funding was set to be awarded, the California Department of Education (CDE) received notice that the Trump Administration will not be releasing billions of education dollars allocated by Congress for the upcoming school year, including but not limited to Title I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A, and IV-B. These funds are awarded annually on July 1 as part of critical funding that sustains America’s public schools. Based on prior year awards, CDE estimates that the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is keeping $1 billion from California students and billions of dollars nationwide.

Source: Impoundment of Federal Funds – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

Trump administration cuts $1 billion in school mental health grants – Times Herald

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By Collin Binkley

The Trump administration is moving to cancel $1 billion in school mental health grants, saying they reflect the priorities of the previous administration.

Grant recipients were notified Tuesday that the funding will not be continued after this year. A gun violence bill signed by Democratic President Joe Biden in 2022 sent $1 billion to the grant programs to help schools hire more psychologists, counselors and other mental health workers.

Source: Trump administration cuts $1 billion in school mental health grants

Federal Education Cuts: What it means for FSUSD students, schools | dailyrepublic.com

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President Trump’s decision to cut education funding is causing concern across Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District as officials assess the potential impact.

Further cuts might reduce money for programs such as special education, tutoring and college prep.

In March, the federal Department of Education began implementing a “reduction in force,” placing nearly 50% of its staff on administrative leave.

Source: Federal Education Cuts: What it means for FSUSD students, schools | News | dailyrepublic.com

Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department | FOX40 News

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By Collin Binkley and Chris MegerianPresident Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives.

Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. Republicans said they will introduce legislation to achieve that, while Democrats have quickly lined up to oppose the idea.

Source: Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions | FOX40 News

Trump nominates WWE co-founder Linda McMahon to lead Department of Education | FOX40

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President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday that he will nominate Linda McMahon to serve as secretary of the Department of Education on Tuesday.

McMahon is co-leading Trump’s transition team. She was considered a front-runner to lead the Department of Commerce and her co-lead on the transition team, Howard Lutnick, is expected to be named for that role.

McMahon previously led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term.

Source: Trump nominates WWE co-founder Linda McMahon to lead Department of Education | FOX40

Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to Trump – Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s recent announcement that he would seek to withhold funding from California schools that choose to use a curriculum that reviews the impacts of slavery and how it has contributed to racism in our nation:

“President Trump’s latest announcement is a petty and disgraceful threat designed to distract and further divide our country at a time when we need true leadership that can unite us. California’s educators should feel empowered to lead courageous conversations with their students about the history of race and racism in our country—not worry if their school will lose funding.

“At the California Department of Education, we will continue to encourage school districts to talk about racism and unconscious bias in all forms. That includes building training programs to help our 10,000 schools address the impacts of implicit bias and race in our schools. We are also developing a first-in-the-nation statewide ethnic studies model curriculum that all of our school districts can use as a guide for classroom instruction that will shine a long-overdue light on the contributions of people of color.

Source: Thurmond Issues Statement in Response to Trump – Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

California teachers union pushes back on reopening schools | abc10.com

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By Van Tieu

California reported its highest single-day count of coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, July 8, a grim milestone reflective of the easing of the state’s stay-at-home restrictions. But as cases continue to rise across the state, having almost reached 300,000 cases, school districts are scrambling to prepare for the fall.

The struggle to reopen districts comes as President Donald Trump pushes for schools to open doors despite nationwide spikes in coronavirus cases largely due to the relaxing of guidelines against the wishes of many of the country’s top health professionals.

“We’re very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools, to get them open,” Trump said at the White House on Tuesday. “It’s very important. It’s very important for our country. It’s very important for the well-being of the student and the parents. So we’re going to be putting a lot of pressure on: Open your schools in the fall.”

Source: California teachers union pushes back on reopening schools | abc10.com

Trump’s proposed 2021 budget: ESSA overhaul, Title I cuts, CTE emphasis | Education Dive

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By Naaz Modan

President Donald Trump announced his proposed 2021 fiscal year budget Monday afternoon, once more suggesting cuts to the Department of Education and its notable K-12 programs.

Overall, the budget allocates $66.6 billion for the Department of Education, 7.8% or $5.6 billion less than the previous year.

Among proposed changes is a push to restructure the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into a block grant of $19.4 billion, which would consolidate major programs into its fold, including the Every Student Succeeds Act’s Title I and Title II, and amount to $4.8 billion less than what Congress approved for 2020.

Source: Trump’s proposed 2021 budget: ESSA overhaul, Title I cuts, CTE emphasis | Education Dive

Trump Pushes Tax Break to Promote School Choice in State of the Union Address – Education Week

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By Evie Blad

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union Address Tuesday to urge Congress to greenlight a plan that would provide federal tax credits for scholarships to private schools and other education services, offering the largest stage yet for one of his administration’s key education priorities.

“The next step forward in building an inclusive society is making sure that every young American gets a great education and the opportunity to achieve the American Dream,” Trump said. “Yet, for too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools.”

States have sought to “rescue these students” with tax-credit scholarship programs, he said, gesturing to invited guests Stephanie Davis, a mother from Philadelphia, and her 4th-grade daughter, Jayinah, who is on the waitlist for Pennsylvania’s tax-credit scholarship program. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, vetoed an expansion of the program last year. Trump said a scholarship had “become available” for Jayinah.(A federal official later confirmed that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos planned to contribute to the cost of her enrollment at a private school.)

Source: Trump Pushes Tax Break to Promote School Choice in State of the Union Address – Politics K-12 – Education Week

What Special Education Cuts Are Really Proposed in the Trump Budget? – Education Week

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By Christina Samuels

There’s been more than 24 hours of social media furor over the Trump administration’s proposal to cut the federal government’s $18 million contribution to Special Olympics.

But at least some anger also has been directed at a cut that doesn’t really exist, amplified by media outlets who repeated a congressman’s misreading of a budget table. When U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited a House education subcommittee on Tuesday, she was pressed on the budget by Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Wisconsin. After sparring over Special Olympics, Pocan interrupted DeVos to talk about other programs.

Source: What Special Education Cuts Are Really Proposed in the Trump Budget? – On Special Education – Education Week

Trump Emergency Declaration Could Endanger Aid for School Projects on Military Bases – Education Week

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By Alyson Klein

More than $500 million in funding for construction projects at schools serving the children of military personnel could be in jeopardy, thanks to President Donald Trump’s move to declare a national emergency and shift some $8 billion allocated to defense construction and other purposes to build a wall along the southern border with Mexico.

That’s according to an analysis of military construction projects circulated by the House Appropriations Committee, which is controlled by Democrats. The list of potentially impacted projects includes turning the former Fort Campbell High School in Fort Campbell, Ky., into a new middle school. Construction projects at schools on military bases in Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom could also be affected.

For its part, the Trump administration has said it will divert roughly $3.6 billion from military construction to wall construction, but it has not yet identified which projects would be affected.

Source: Trump Emergency Declaration Could Endanger Aid for School Projects on Military Bases – Politics K-12 – Education Week

Trump Administration Further Relaxes School Lunch Rules – Education Week

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By Evie Blad

Nutritious school meals don’t do anyone any good if kids just throw them into the trash. So we’re empowering local schools by providing more options to serve healthy AND appetizing food. We’re publishing our final rule in the Federal Register. Details: https://t.co/tUz8II29Zp pic.twitter.com/rpwF4wjQ30

— Sec. Sonny Perdue (@SecretarySonny) December 6, 2018

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its final school rule on school meals Thursday, relaxing nutrition standards championed by former first lady Michelle Obama more than most advocates had expected.

The new directive, which finalizes a plan announced in May 2017, will ease requirements related to flavored milk, whole grains, and sodium in meals served through the National School Lunch and breakfast programs.

Source: Trump Administration Further Relaxes School Lunch Rules – Rules for Engagement – Education Week

School safety experts weigh in on federal commission’s potential impact | Education Dive

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By Linda Jacobson

The Federal Commission on School Safety, which President Donald Trump formed in response to the February mass shooting at Marjory Douglas Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida, is expected to make final recommendations before the end of the year.

But most states and districts have moved ahead with their own safety measures, such as adding more school resource officers, upgrading equipment such as security cameras, and creating data-sharing agreements among state agencies.

“Local municipalities and local governments — they don’t wait,” Frank Clark, president of the Chicago Board of Education, said in an interview.

Source: School safety experts weigh in on federal commission’s potential impact | Education Dive

CTE: Funding & New State Oversight – Public Policy Institute of California

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By Rafujio Gonzalez, Courtney Lee

President Donald Trump recently signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, or Perkins V, which reauthorized $1.2 billion dollars in federal funds for career and technical educational (CTE) programs. The new law gives states more flexibility to set their own goals for CTE programs, along with reporting progress toward those goals. Who might benefit from these changes, and what new challenges do they present to the state?

Perkins V supports programs that integrate career skills and prepare students at the secondary, postsecondary, and adult education level for the workforce—for such careers as IT technician, accountant, or nurse. Funding is based on student enrollment, and each year California receives more than $110 million in Perkins dollars, the vast majority (85%) of which go to CTE programs in high schools and community colleges. During the 2017–18 school year, close to 780,000 (40%) high school students and 420,000 (35%) full-time community college students participated in CTE.

Source: Career Technical Education: Funding & New State Oversight – Public Policy Institute of California

Meet the Only K-12 Education Program to Get Cut in the Spending Bill Trump Signed – Education Week

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By Andrew Ujifusa

The new federal spending levels recently approved by President Donald Trump include a $2.6 billion boost for the U.S. Department of Education. But what’s the story behind that number?

Big programs intended for disadvantaged students, special education, and career and technical education are getting significant boosts. Title IV, a big block grant that can be spent on various initiatives, got a nearly three-fold increase. However, it’s not just that the major line items got increases. Several smaller programs that deal with magnet schools, arts in education, and the Special Olympics got more money too.

In fact, we could only find one K-12 program in the Education Department’s new budget that is getting less money in fiscal 2018 than it did in fiscal 2017.

Source: Meet the Only K-12 Education Program to Get Cut in the Spending Bill Trump Signed – Politics K-12 – Education Week

Trump Signs Executive Order Reviewing Federal Role in Education – NBC News

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By Mary Emily O’Hara

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday aimed at decreasing the role of the federal government in education while giving states and local school districts more power over decision-making.

Trump called the called order, which directs Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to study federal overreach in education, “another critical step to restoring local control, which is so important.”

“We know that local communities do it best and know it best,” the president said as he stood flanked by DeVos, Vice President Mike Pence, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and others.

Source: Trump Signs Executive Order Reviewing Federal Role in Education

Science education funding still in Trump’s crosshairs, despite being saved by Congress | EdSource

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By Carolyn Jones

Days after Congress passed a budget that mostly preserves funding for science education, President Donald Trump released a new budget proposal for 2019 that would eliminate many of those same programs.

Trump’s budget proposal, released on Monday, was drawn up before Congress passed its two-year deal last week. Although Congress already approved a budget, Trump’s proposal can offer funding priorities within approved budget caps, and it lays out his overall vision for the country. It calls for a $26 billion increase in defense spending next year, but $5 billion in cuts to non-defense programs, including a 10.5 percent cut to the Department of Education.

Source: Science education funding still in Trump’s crosshairs, despite being saved by Congress | EdSource