On Mar. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the dissolution of the Department of Education (DoE). This dismantling is led by Trump’s stance that the DoE is wasteful and polluted with the liberal agenda.
The executive order was aimed at changes regarding DEI, Title 1, and SPED programs. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBoE) is currently refuting this, stating that these changes conflict with the civil rights of students.
The ISBoE statement to Title VI Certification stated, “The Illinois State Board of Education has certified that [the executive order] complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulation.”
SPED, 504, and IEP programs will receive less funding, most money will be moved to block grants, which will lead to delays and failures of putting money where it’s supposed to. This will overall lead to a significant impact of test scores, behavior/engagement, and graduation rates.
As a student who uses these accommodations, they have fully supported me not only throughout high school but also through the transition into college. Students should all be given the chance to be supported in school.
“What people fail to understand is that although it may cost more money to fund these programs, it is more cost effective in the end to support students who can become contributing independent members of society,” said OH 504 coordinator Jenny Jasper, “Many students have achieved further success because of their support plans than they might have without them.”
The funds of these programs would be in the hands of the school, so it is completely up to the district to decide where these funds go. Taking away support systems in schools ultimately takes away opportunities for students to learn and grow.
The dissolving will lead to Title 1 funding being slashed, and the money will have to be replaced; however, where is this money coming from, and where is it being sourced to?
“In the state of Illinois, they’ve already cut 10% of school department budgets…our district is in a lot of debt, in 2024, we ended up with $311.7 million in debt,” said OH junior Roman Berger. “So less federal funding means we’re gonna have to borrow more money from nearby townships.”
Taking from nearby townships, which are also struggling with the same decrease of federal funding, is not a reliable source of income because money is constantly going to be fluctuating over the next few years.
This struggle is seen firsthand in our tech department as student Chromebooks have become more expensive and hard to manage.
“[The Tech Hub has] been purchasing our one-on-one devices…next year we’re not releasing them, which will make it harder for students…[who] might not have a device,” said Berger.
Not only are the changes of school-issued Chromebooks a financial hit, but it’s also a hit to student support. Students who do not have a personal device at home utilize their school Chromebook for college and everyday life.
Getting support through schools will be a challenge due to the DoE departments being moved around the government. The DoE Civil Rights office will be moved to the Department of Justice, and financial offices, like FASFA, will be moved to the Department of the Treasury.
“Because of the significant funding cuts that would be seen after the department’s removal, I would have a much harder time seeking higher education, because scholarships would be much harder to come by,” said OH junior Megan Kratsch. “Now I need to worry about whether or not the college I am looking at will be significantly affected by the removal of this department.”
Overall, these changes will lead to more delays in both discrimination in school settings and the processes of financial support through scholarships, grants, and FAFSA. Making it harder for students to continue through education outside of K-12 learning.
The dissolving of the DoE is a large issue, and OH is a small community within this larger issue. However, as a community, we can still make a difference.
“Continue to vote for politicians that share your views on protecting our most vulnerable. I recommend that parents learn about the programs and resources that their child’s school has,” said Jasper.
There are also local protests that are designed to take a stand against the dissolution and to spread awareness on the matter.
“Protesting was a bittersweet experience, because on one hand, I was standing with so many people who agreed with me and wanted to see my education thrive, but just across the street were people opposing us, yelling at us…Such hatred simply because I worry for my future baffles me, and only shows that we have a long road ahead of us,” said Kratsch.
The dissolving of the DoE will be a long battle, which will lead to uncertain futures, however, it is up to every single member of the community to let their voices be heard.
From protests to election day, every voice matters.
Hi I'm Chayse! I'm a Senior at OHS and this is my first year on the 42Fifty team. When I'm not at school, I participate in activities such as BIONIC, Commotion, SOTC, and many various Honor Societies! You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
