The group behind the defeat of Kentucky’s school voucher amendment last year has relaunched with a new mission. Protect Our Schools KY is calling on Congress to save federal education funding.
The coalition of educators and public school advocates says dismantling the U.S. Department of Education would especially hurt rural districts and students with disabilities.
Speaking at the Warren County Public Library on Monday, Butler County special education teacher Tracy Morris said a loss in federal grants could lead to fewer teaching positions and targeted support services.
“The students I teach tend to need things most students don’t require, things like oversized text, tablets for students who are nonverbal or have motor issues, low vision keyboards, voice amplifiers for hearing impaired students, and the list just keeps going on," Morris explained.
Morris is among a group of superintendents that recently sent a letter to Kentucky Congressman Brett Guthrie asking him to oppose cuts to federal funds.
An analysis by the left-leaning Kentucky Center for Economic Policy found that federal grants provide more than $1 billion annually to Kentucky schools, funding programs for low-income students, special education, school meals, and teacher training.
Speaking in Bowling Green on Monday, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul reiterated his support for eliminating the federal education department.
"If you look at how schools are funded now, probably 90, 95 percent of schools are funded by your local taxes, so schools are a local function," Paul said. "I think if you eliminated the Department of Education, you wouldn't know it was gone. Anything in the Department of Education that are funding special needs or other things could be transferred into other departments."
MaryBeth Patton has two daughters in Warren County Public Schools. One child has cerebral palsy and epilepsy while the other is neurodivergent and has ADHD. She said both rely on special learning devices and therapy services at school.
“If the U.S. Department of Education is dismantled, who will ensure our districts will get what they need?," questioned Patton. "If funding is transferred, how will we ensure it will look like what we’re receiving now?"
Kentucky receives an estimated $182 million a year in funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and about $270 million in Title One funds to support high poverty schools.
Those who support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education say it would return control to local districts while eliminating redundancy and bureaucracy created by the federal agency.
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky re-filed a bill this year to eliminate the federal education department. On Tuesday, the Education Department announced plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees, a prelude to President Donald Trump’s intentions to dismantle the agency.
The administration has already trimmed the agency’s staff through buyout offers and the termination of probationary employees. After Tuesday’s layoffs, the Education Department says its workforce will be roughly half of its previous size, raising questions about the agency's ability to continue usual operations.
