Some Democratic Michigan lawmakers are raising concerns over reported plans to significantly scale back the U.S. Department of Education.
President Donald Trump and some of his Republican allies in Congress have called for the total elimination of the department. They argue the department has become too sprawling, saying state and local governments should have a bigger role in education.
That’s as Trump’s pick for Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, has been going through her confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate.
The federal department oversees things like student aid and data collection. It also helps fund schools.
State Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) said cutting the department would have a drastic impact on Michigan and its budget.
“Forty-one percent of the State of Michigan's budget relies on federal funding. And from the school aid fund, it's about $2.5 billion that we would stand to lose if the Department of Education were eliminated. That would directly impact special needs programs in particular,” McMorrow said Friday during a press conference hosted by the Michigan Democratic Party.
McMorrow said replacing that missing revenue would completely wipe out the state’s rainy day fund.
Any potential changes to the Education Department would have to go through Congress. Last month, lawmakers reintroduced bills to axe the department altogether. The Trump administration has already moved to take funding away from institutions that offer inclusion initiatives.
Several of the administration’s moves around funding cuts have been challenged in court already.
At Friday’s press conference, lawmakers in attendance said they weren’t sure what action Michigan’s attorney general would take in response should more changes come to the Education Department.
But state Representative Kelly Breen (D-Novi) said she’s been reaching out to federal lawmakers to stop cuts from happening.
“They can only do so much. So, I don't know about a grand plan as far as what the congressional Democrats might be planning or the Republicans. I am relieved to see that some Republican congresspeople are standing up and doing what they can from the inside to try to help,” Breen said.
Breen stressed Michigan relies on federal education spending to help with things like school safety and special needs programming. Meanwhile, her colleague, Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) stressed that federal funding helps Michigan provide universal free school lunches.
