While some school board members supported President Donald Trump signing an executive order on Thursday to close the Education Department, others worry it may impact their already struggling budgets and critical programs that many of their students rely on.
“Frustrated by the complete lack of awareness, you know, by folks in Washington, D.C., about the realities, you know, that our kids and families and educators are facing here in San Diego,” San Diego Unified School Board Vice President Richard Barrera said.
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Barrera questioned the government’s decision and said any disruption in funding will come at the expense of the students’ education.
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“All that that means is the federal government is going to be less competent at releasing the funds to programs for students who need them,” Barrera said.
San Diego Unified serves nearly 100,000 students. It receives about $167 million in federally funded programs that support students with special needs, low-income and military families.
Barrera said this move by the Trump administration only widens the financial challenges his district and others are already facing.
“The reason for that, you know, financial challenge is because the federal government does not meet its responsibilities that are actually laid out in the law that Congress created, for instance, for, you know, funding for students with disabilities,” Barrera said.
Andrew Hayes, a board member for the Lakeside Union School District, supports the move.
“I’m more interested in the money they’re going to save and then bringing it to our local districts so that we can enhance our services locally. That’s what I’d really love to see,” Hayes said.
Lakeside Union serves 4,200 students. Hayes said they currently receive about $3 million in federally funded programs. He said he’s not worried about those programs being impacted because they are congressionally approved.
“Local grants that give us local flexibility to support career programs or support behaviors in the classroom to support our teachers. We know that that’s our need, but that may be different than what San Diego Unified or what Del Mar needs, so local control is best,” Hayes said.
While local school districts get a clearer picture as to what’s next, both Barrera and Hayes will keep their focus on student learning.
The Association of California School Administrators told NBC 7 that the executive order could have a “catastrophic impact” on the country’s most vulnerable students and that they will continue to monitor what happens in D.C.
