US Department of Education Update
IACS continues to monitor developments with the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) following President Donald Trump's March 20 executive order calling for its abolishment. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was present at the signing.
On March 21, the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), which IACS is affiliated with through The Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education (ACE), sent a letter to Secretary McMahon emphasizing the need to ensure that changes to federal education programs do not unintentionally harm independent and religious K-12 schools. The letter specifically highlighted the importance of preserving equitable services, which provide essential support for low-income students, professional development, English language learners, school safety, students with disabilities, and more.
Despite the executive order, fully dissolving the department would require congressional action. Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow has submitted a request to consolidate ten federally funded education programs into a block grant. If this were to be approved, it would allow Iowa to have more control over how federal education dollars are spent. Congress would need to approve any efforts to transfer federal education programs to another federal agency or convert them into state block grants.
In the meantime, the Department continues to significantly downsize its workforce. As of March 11, 1,300 jobs have been cut nationwide.
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