Education Department: Conservative Think Tank Analysis
Federal Education Cuts: A Minor Ripple in a Local Ocean?
Washington’s Role in Schools Diminishes, Experts Say, Shifting Focus to Local Efforts
The recent federal layoffs impacting the U.S. Department of Education are unlikely to be noticed by most teachers adn students, according to Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Petrilli argues that the federal government’s role in day-to-day schooling has always been minimal, with local school boards and districts bearing the primary responsibility for education.
“The good news, Ailsa, is I think most teachers, most students aren’t going to notice this at all,” petrilli stated in a recent interview. “And that’s because the U.S. Department of Education was already tiny and had a very small role in our schools even before all of this. we’re talking about an office that even before this was only 4,000 people.”
He emphasized that the federal government’s contribution is largely financial, with local entities managing the actual educational processes. “It just is the case that the federal government doesn’t have that much to do with the day-to-day schooling. Most neighborhood schools are run by local school boards and local school districts, and what the federal government does really is just send them money.”
Targeting Waste and Fraud: A local Endeavor
Petrilli’s earlier assertion that “if you want to go after the real waste, fraud and abuse in America’s education system, you need to do it at the local level, not in Washington. After all, that’s where the money is,” directly addresses the effectiveness of the federal cuts.
When asked if these federal layoffs would substantively improve education or target waste and fraud, Petrilli was unequivocal. “I don’t. I don’t think it’s possible to make the argument that these cuts are going to improve our schools.”
He lamented the current state of bipartisan cooperation in education policy, noting a decade-long decline.”But look, there was a time, Ailsa, when leaders in Washington worked hard at improving our schools. We had a bipartisan effort. It’s now been about a decade since that has been the case, and we can tell. America’s schools desperately need help. There are kids that are still struggling after the pandemic. But we’re at a place where we need everybody focused on actually trying to improve our schools.”
The Future of the Department of Education
The conversation also touched upon President Trump’s campaign promise to shut down the Department of Education and whether recent Supreme Court rulings bring him closer to that goal.Petrilli expressed skepticism about the department’s demise.
“No, I don’t think we’re going to see the end of the Department of Education,” he said with a laugh. “It is indeed in statute. It was created by Congress, and therefore, Congress would need to decide to close it, and Donald Trump does not have 60 votes to do that.I don’t think you could even get all Republicans to back that as it’s very unpopular.”
Petrilli concluded that while the department might become smaller, it will likely persist. “So I think at the end of all of this, at the end of his administration, there will still be a Department of Education. It will be smaller, but it will be here. But it will still remain the fact that if you want to improve schools, you got to work at the state and local level because that is where the action is.”
Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham institute,shared these insights during his discussion with Ailsa.**
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