School leaders across Connecticut are taking stock of how much support they receive from the U.S. Department of Education as plans to dismantle the federal agency are now underway.
A report compiled this week by state education officials provides new insight into that question. It shows that in the 2024 budget year, the Department of Education (DOE) allocated more than $353 million for school districts and other organizations in Connecticut through its grant programs.
Those programs include Title I funding for schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families, and money provided through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which supports special education programs.
President Donald Trump has taken steps to eliminate the department, saying he prefers giving money directly to states to fund their schools.
Earlier this month, the department lost about half of its workers. Trump then signed an executive order calling on U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all the necessary steps” to shut down the department.
Democratic members of the state's congressional delegation sharply criticized the changes Monday, and called on the administration to explain its plans.
Federal funding constitutes only a portion of the revenue local school districts receive, though it supports key services in many communities.
State records show large urban school districts in Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven and other cities are among the top recipients of DOE funding in Connecticut.
Close to $40 million of the DOE grant funding targeted for Connecticut through the remainder of the budget year has yet to be paid, according to the state.
Connecticut school districts are due to receive the balance of most outstanding funds by June 30, 2025.
State education officials last week sought to reassure families in Connecticut that they will deliver on all education programs mandated by law, adding that to date, there have been no funding interruptions to programs administered by the state.
“Education is fundamentally a state and local endeavor, and here in Connecticut our focus remains on the critical work happening in our districts each day," reads a statement released March 21 by the Connecticut State Department of Education.
McMahon has said that the closure of her department will not mean cutting off funds from students in need. Rather, she said that it is a step toward giving parents and states control over their children’s education.
“Teachers will be unshackled from burdensome regulations and paperwork, empowering them to get back to teaching basic subjects,” McMahon said in a statement after Trump signed the executive order.
“Taxpayers will no longer be burdened with tens of billions of dollars of waste on progressive social experiments and obsolete programs," she continued. "K-12 and college students will be relieved of the drudgery caused by administrative burdens — and positioned to achieve success in a future career they love.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, is calling on the public to reach out to senators in red and blue states with their thoughts on what should be done.
“We need you to be active, be strong, be loud and clear,” Blumenthal said Monday, “and that's going to make a difference in what happens.”
Daniela Doncel contributed to this report.
