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METRO DETROIT — With a chance the U.S. the Department of Education could be dismantled, the Warren Education Association staged “walk-ins” March 19 at their buildings in the Warren Consolidated Schools district in support of preserving the department.
Members of the teachers union carried signs that read “Protect Our Students And Families Text ‘Action’ to 48744. The National Education Association logo also was printed on the signs.
Parents, state Rep. Mai Xiong, D-Warren, and Cromie Elementary School Principal Jack Stanton also participated in the demonstrations. Xiong represents the 13th District, which includes Roseville, the eastern part of Warren, and parts of St. Clair Shores.
According to a WEA press release issued March 19, those who gathered believe closing the department will have a “harmful impact” on the public schools system, especially the most vulnerable local students.
“It’s critical that parents and educators make their voices heard in support of protecting our neighborhood schools and providing every student — no matter their abilities or family’s income — with the opportunity to get a good education,” Warren Education Association President Robert Callender said in a prepared statement. Callender also is a high school chemistry teacher in the district.
According to the WEA, Michigan received about $461 million in federal funding last year from the Department of Education to support special education programs serving more than 200,000 students with disabilities. The Macomb Intermediate School District received over $34 million in federal funds to support about 19,000 local students receiving special education services.
Additionally, Warren Consolidated Schools received about $4.2 million last year in federal Title I funding, which helps educators provide additional support for low-income and at-risk students.
“Dismantling the Department of Education would be devastating for local students with special needs and students from lower-income families, as our schools rely on federal resources to support special education programs, tutoring, school meals and more,” Callender said. “This would cause permanent harm to Warren students, who need and deserve more support — not less.”
On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. That does not mean the department has closed; by law, that would still have to go before Congress for a vote.
According to a press release C&G Newspapers received via email from the White House Office of Communications March 20, removing the Department of Education will return the main function of educating children back to each state thus improving student achievement overall. Eliminating the department allows states to take charge and advocate for and implement what is best for students, families and educators in their communities.
“Our nation’s bright future relies on empowered families, engaged communities, and excellent educational opportunities for every child,” the press release states. “Unfortunately, the experiment of controlling American education through federal programs and dollars, and the unaccountable bureaucracy those programs and dollars support, has plainly failed our children, our teachers, and our families.”
According to the White House Office of Communications, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon will take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the department and return authority over education to the states and local communities, should Trump’s executive order be approved.
The White House Office of Communications said closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds to support K-12 students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs such as Pell grants.
U.S. Representative Lisa McClain, R-District 9, released a prepared statement in support of closing the department. The Romeo Republican currently serves as a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Education and Workforce. District 9 includes northern parts of Macomb and Oakland counties, and the counties of Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, Lapeer and St. Clair.
“The U.S. Department of Education has been pushing woke policies for far too long. There is too much bloated federal bureaucracy. Despite more money being spent, test scores have not improved,” McClain said. “We should focus the dollars on the students, not administrators. I look forward to working with @POTUS and @EdSecMcMahon to improve education in America.”
Congress created the Department of Education in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. Its stated mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages.
C&G Newspapers contacted Roseville Community Schools Superintendent Mark Blaszkowski via email for his view on the matter. Blaszkowski said he feels the department can be a great resource to improve instruction.
“It has always been a guiding voice for educational institutions to ensure we are compliant with laws and regulations related to education,” he said. “The Department of Education is also responsible for managing the grants for local school districts through the State Department of Education. States cover the majority of the funds for education. Federal money supplements that by approximately 14%.”
If the department closes, Blaszkowski said Roseville Community Schools would lose at least $2.5 million dollars annually. Some of that funding is used for literacy specialists, instructional coaches for teachers, intervention staff to work with students who struggle in math and reading. Federal dollars also help fund professional development for Roseville teachers to improve their instruction to be more successful.
“This money also goes towards parent engagement activities such as literacy nights that get books in the hands of parents and families,” Blaszkowski said. “IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) money is also provided by the federal government. This money is strictly for special education costs.”
According to Blaszkowski, the federal legislation states the federal government is to provide 40% of the funding costs associated with special education. However, that always falls short.
“They have never met that goal. In fact, they have never matched 20% of the costs. To me, this is another unfunded mandate. Schools always bite the bullet and do what they can for the students. It is time they honor their commitment to special education students,” Blaszkowski said.
“If there are better ways to get more of the money to the districts it would be greatly appreciated. Again, they can start by meeting the obligation of the 40%,” Blaszkowski said. “I feel inefficiency can occur if each district has to spend money to get guidance and information to be better prepared to educate students. Maybe the state could help us consolidate costs.”
The superintendent also said putting restrictions on funding based on mandates does not help districts.
“It holds us hostage on how we can help our students,” Blaszkowski said. “Each district has their own unique needs and when we are told we must or can’t use the funding in certain ways, it can breed inefficiencies.”
Call Staff Writer Maria Allard at (586) 498-1045.
