What will S.C. agency do without a U.S. Department of Education?
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The future responsibilities of the South Carolina Department of Education are up in the air after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
The primary functions of the federal agency include the enforcement of civil rights protections and providing for students in need, including necessary federal funding and educational research.
It’s against federal law for the agency to provide direction, supervision, or control over curriculum and academic standards. That’s the role of the states.
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Now, parents and experts are wondering what South Carolina’s Department of Education will look like knowing what responsibilities the federal agency is in charge of. Will the states have the capacity and staff to carry out new tasks if that’s what’s asked of them?
Patrick Kelly with the Palmetto Teachers Association told WIS News 10 these questions are unknown at this time. But local parents like Ashley Manley, a Midlands mother of three, wants to know the answers.
“I am concerned as a parent who already has to fight, make no mistake, I already have to fight for my children to receive the services and education that they need,” said Manley. “I’m concerned about the dismantling of this organization and this entity that gives me something to stand on for my children.”
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Manley’s three children have had or currently have IEP’S, an education plan that’s funded through federal dollars.
Some examples of federally protected benefits that currently are in the hands of the U.S. Department of Education include facilitating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or I-D-EA, Title 1, and McKinney-Vento funding which provides for students who are unhoused.
However, without the U.S. Department of Education, questions linger on who will be responsible for facilitating that money now.
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“Who delivers the funds to the state?” asked Kelly. “Because a lot of these grant dollars are being processed through the U.S. Department of Education, and if it doesn’t exist then another federal agency is going to be responsible to make sure those funds go to states. And who that is and what resources that agency has will very much influence how effectively and efficiently those dollars get to South Carolina schools, so we don’t have disruption in operations.”
Kelly told sister station, WIS News 10, his biggest concern is the unknown. He said if the agency is eliminated, South Carolina needs to have a plan in place to make certain programs, that are relied on by hundreds of thousands of students statewide, are being carried out, especially at no cost to the students.
“If there is less federal technical coming from Washington, if there is less federal funding equipping the department at our state level to staff up, to adequately manage these programs - then there may need to be a real conversation, not just for the department, but for our legislature in making sure we have adequate human resources to continue to maximize the benefits that we receive from federal education funding,” said Kelly.
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The U.S. Department of Education is also the istrating agency of student loans and Pell Grants, all of which are used for higher education.
In the House Government Efficiency and Legislative Oversight Committee Wednesday, State Superintendent Ellen Weaver was asked about what measures the state has taken to be proactive about the potential dismantling.
“Right now, we are in intensive conversations with our local superintendents, and also with the folks in Washington who are coming into the new istration to make sure that they are hearing from the ground up what the impact of these decisions are going to be and to talk about how we can create a glidepath that has the least amount of bumps and friction,” said Weaver.
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White house Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke on President Trump’s decision during a press briefing Thursday morning, saying the Department of Education would not be completely eliminated, so it can continue carrying out critical functions, including the enforcement of civil rights laws and the oversight of student loans and Pell Grants.
Weaver said these functions will be a priority at the state level.
“We have an ironclad commitment to insure our low-income students and special needs students don’t miss a minute of what they are owed”, said Weaver.
The president cannot eliminate an entire federal agency without the approval of Congress. It took a law to create the agency back in 1979, so only a law can get rid of it.
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