As we head into the final stages of a presidential election season, you may hear discussion about a topic that often comes up during election cycles: abolishing the federal Department of Education. People who support that idea generally say the Department should not exist because the U.S. Constitution does not mention anything about education, and under the 10th Amendment, powers not specifically delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are powers delegated to the individual states. So, why do we have a federal Department of Education?
The most important thing to know is that states and local governments still maintain control of educational systems. Establishing schools, developing curricula, setting requirements for academic progression and graduation, choosing books and materials, and determining academic standards are all done at state and local levels. Individual states set licensing requirements for teachers and other educational staff. But all of these things cost money; do local school districts and states have enough money to fund all the work they do for students in schools?
In short – no. This is where the Department of Education plays a role. Congress appropriates funds for the Department of Education that are then primarily distributed to students, state and local educational agencies, and community-based organizations that support students. For example, every state receives funds through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to support the education of students with disabilities in their local schools. Every state receives funds through Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (you may have known it as No Child Left Behind, now reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act) that supports students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, students with limited English proficiency, Native American children, and children who are neglected or delinquent. The Department also funds postsecondary education directly to students through Pell grants and student loans.
To determine the needs of students and families and how they might best be met, data is needed. Research and data collection is one of the primary jobs of the Department of Education. They collect and analyze data on all aspects of education to determine trends and disseminate this information to Congress and the public. This information is used to request future funding levels. They also support ongoing research on critical issues in education, including but not limited to determining the most effective interventions to teach children and youth.
This election season, if you feel like you want to have more of a voice in education, look locally. You can attend meetings of your school district board, and has all of its meeting information publicly available. They also publish annual reports for the legislature and the public on funding and assessment results. At the postsecondary level, NSHE posts information about its . Most importantly, remember that you get to vote for your representatives on these boards. Education may receive federal funds, but decisions are still made at home!
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Shanon Taylor, Ed.D., is a professor of Special Education in the College of Education & Human Development. Her major areas of research interest are policy issues related to the provision of special education services in private schools and teacher education in special education. Within the field of special education, she focuses on behavior management, emotional/behavior disorders and autism.
