School district awaits direction on DOE elimination
Local officials are awaiting more information as they ready to come into compliance with President Donald Trump’s March 20 executive order to eliminate the Department of Education (DOE) and return authority to the states.
The order does not immediately close the department but sets that action, which would require congressional approval, in motion.
“The School District of Lee County is currently reviewing the executive orders issued by the president and awaiting further guidelines from the respective federal agencies to ensure our continued compliance. Our school board policies adhere to federal and state laws and regulations. As federal agencies release specific guidelines related to these executive orders, we will assess and adjust our policies accordingly,” the School District of Lee County said in a prepared statement.
The order is part of the president’s plan to downsize the federal government while making its agencies, processes and programs more efficient.
The executive order states that “the Secretary of Education shall, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all the necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of education and return authority over education to the states and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits which Americans rely.”
It further states that “consistent with the Department of Education’s authorities, the Secretary of Education shall ensure that the allocation of any Federal Department of Education funds is subject to rigorous compliance with federal law and administration policy, including the requirement that any program or activity receiving federal assistance terminate illegal discrimination o obscured under the label ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology.”
The executive order also expounds on the reasoning behind it, stating that “while the Department of Education does not educate anyone, it maintains a public relations office that includes over 80 staffers at a cost of more than $10 million per year.”
It further states that “today, American reading and math scores are near historical lows. This year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that 70% of 8th graders were below proficient in reading and 72% were below proficient in math. The federal education bureaucracy is not working.”
It adds that “The Department of Education currently manages a student loan debt portfolio of more than $1.6 trillion. This means the federal student aid program is roughly the size of one of the nation’s largest banks, Wells Fargo.”
School District of Lee County spokesperson Rob Spicker said the district’s federal funding makes up 47% of its general budget, which supports its daily operating costs. He said feds do provide more funding in Special Revenue Fund — Federal and Special Revenue Fund — Food Services.
According to the district’s budget, the food services special revenue budget is $67.9 million, representing 2.33% of the budget. The federal sources was $61.5 million for the 2024-25 budget, compared to the 2023-24 budget of $53.8 million.
The revenue from food services is used to feed more than 100,000 students, as well funds such things as upgrades to kitchens and equipment. The district uses the Community Eligibility Program, qualifying all students with free lunches, which is based on the percentage of students that qualify for other federal or state assistance.
The federal special revenue totaled $88.2 million for 2024-25, representing 3% of the total budget. The fund includes federal grants and entitlements that the district receives. The projects to receive federal funding have to be approved by both the school board and Department of Education, or other governing agency.
According to the budget, $20.3 million for the 2024-25 budget was federal direct and $67.3 million was federal through state funding. The 2024-25 budget had three federal projects — Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) — $17.4 million, the Elementary and Secondary Act (Title 1) — $17.6 million and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Cares Act — $24.4 million accounted for 67%, or $59.4 million of the total special revenue budget.
Spicker said ESSER funds have expired, resulting in no more revenue moving forward.
The executive order states that the White House will protect Title I and IDEA funding.
Florida Institute Chief Executive Officer Sadaf Knight released a prepared statement regarding the executive order, which touches upon the various federally funded programs.
“Dismantling the Department of Education, or DOE, could leave the fate of various federally funded and administered programs up in the air — specifically, those that serve Florida students with disabilities and those with limited means,” he said. “Although state and local revenue funds the bulk of Florida’s education system, federal education funding provides critical resources to Florida students with disabilities through IDEA and 504 — over $800 million a year — and to students at schools with high concentrations of poverty through Title 1 funding — over $1 billion a year.”
Knight further stated that “additionally, the DOE administers Pell Grants, which help students from under-resourced families attend college. The DOE also plays a crucial role in ensuring civil rights protections at schools that receive federal dollars.”
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