CINCINNATI — President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Thursday ordering Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of eliminating the federal Department of Education.
Flanked by kids in a press conference before signing, Trump said Pell Grants, special education funding and Title I funds would be fully preserved and transferred to other unnamed departments within the federal government.
"Beyond these core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department," Trump said. "We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible. It's doing no good. We're going to return our students to the states."
WATCH: State, local teachers unions react to DOE elimination order
The long-anticipated move sent waves through Greater Cincinnati teachers unions that fear the loss of billions of federal dollars to keep districts running.
Mt. Healthy Schools Teachers Association President Julie Wakefield worried that the potential loss of federal funds could be a death knell for the small district already plagued by financial issues.
A review of school district budgets by Policy Matters Ohio found 24% of the Mt. Healthy Schools budget came from federal funds.
"When we're already in a fiscal emergency, if we lose a quarter of our money, I don't know where we survive," Wakefield said. "I don't know how many districts in poverty survive."
The region's largest school district, Cincinnati Public Schools, relied on federal funding for 22% of its budget according to Policy Matters Ohio. CPS representatives did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Ohio Teachers Association President Melissa Cropper said 1.6 million Ohio students benefit from funds provided by the DOE.
"We're very upset by it," Cropper said. "We don't think this is a good move for education in our country, and it's disappointing to see this happen."
University of Cincinnati Political Science Professor David Niven said Thursday the executive order couldn't, on its own, result in the DOE's dissolution.
"You can't just declare it out of business," Niven said.
The Department of Education and the services it provides are written into law by Congress and could only be legally halted by an act of Congress, he said.
"This will likely go to court, and not just one or two, but likely all the way to the Supreme Court," Niven said.
Cropper and Wakefield both urged people to call their representatives and urge them not to vote to remove the DOE from the law.
WCPO reached out to several area school districts and received written responses from two:
“As with districts across the Commonwealth and throughout our nation, Boone County Schools depends on federal funding to provide essential services and educational opportunities to our students. Thousands of students in our district benefit from funds that are designed to provide targeted funding for higher-poverty schools, students with learning exceptions, meal assistance to reduce the barriers of learning that exist for students who are hungry, and so much more.
While concerns exist for the federal structure that exists to provide the support for these essential federally funded programs, our main concern rests with the continued funding of these programs and the need for such provision to be done with efficiency and effectiveness.”
“Any reduction of this federal funding, while continuing to require certain actions and services, creates an unfunded mandate that must be addressed and remedied at either the federal, state, and local level. In short, federal mandates must come with the funding to meet said mandates. “
"While there are a lot of headlines about the US Department of Education, it’s important to note that less than 2% of Mason City Schools’ $140 million operating budget comes from federal dollars. The greater impact on our schools comes from Columbus, where our state funding has been capped for over a decade despite rising costs and student needs. If federal education dollars are shifted to states as block grants, it will only increase the influence state lawmakers have over public schools. That’s why it’s critical for Ohio to invest in its public schools—to keep our communities strong, prepare students for the workforce, and ensure our state remains a vibrant place for young families and businesses.
No matter what happens at the federal level, Mason City Schools remains committed to ensuring that each and every learner—including students with disabilities, those whose families face economic hardship, multilingual learners, and those identified as gifted—has the opportunity to discover purpose and potential."
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