The ongoing federal government shutdown in the United States of America (USA) has created an unprecedented situation for American schools, offering them a glimpse of what their activities might look like without the United States Department of Education.
More than 80 per cent of the department’s workforce has been furloughed, and investigations into its grant-making and alleged civil rights violations have been effectively paused.
In the meantime, many schools continue to function, as federal funds for the new academic year have already been given to them.
Most of the federal funds distributed by the US Education Department for the year were already sent out in October, meaning K-12 schools are funded through July in most cases.
However, programmes relying on reimbursement models or later funding cycles, such as preschool centres under the Head Start scheme and school-meal reimbursements, are under threat.
Typically, schools and state education agencies depend on the US Education Department for interpretation of laws, technical assistance and enforcement of student rights protections. These functions have stalled amid the shutdown.
For example, the Department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which ensures students with disabilities receive legally mandated support, has seen operations curtailed.
The shutdown has coincided with a broader effort by the administration to scale back the department’s role. US Education Secretary Linda McMahon has publicly said that the shutdown offers proof that the Department is not essential, which is a stance that aligns with President Donald Trump’s longstanding objective to return education authority largely to the states.
Plans are also underway to transfer significant US Department of Education functions, such as adult education and student loans, to other federal agencies, such as the United States Department of Labour or the United States Department of the Treasury.
