In light of Tuesday’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) would be gutted by more than 50%, the WEA felt it vital to issue a statement on its support of students and public education.
“We don’t yet fully know the exact implications of the dismantling of the federal Department of Education,” WEA President Kim Amen said. “What we do know is that Wyoming depends on the current resources provided by the DOE. Without that, it will absolutely harm and create havoc for Wyoming’s students, schools, and families.”
The statement is as follows:
The Wyoming Education Association stands in strong opposition to the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. The harm to Wyoming is significant and will hurt students with disabilities, career and technical education programs, rural communities, low-income families, college-bound students, education professionals, and many others.
Eliminating federal funding will force Wyoming and our local districts to make up the difference. This, combined with the recent school funding lawsuit ruling, could put Wyoming students at a severe disadvantage. The state is already grappling with challenges related to equitable funding, and losing federal support would increase the financial strain on Wyoming’s school districts and harm students — particularly those in rural areas, who are economically disadvantaged, or who have special needs.
According to the U.S. Department of Education Budget Service, the DOE provides the following funding to Wyoming’s schools and students:
- $43.2 million in IDEA Funding (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
- $47.3 million in Title I Funding, impacting 32,518 students
- $36 million in Pell Grants, impacting 7,990 students
- $5.9 million in Career & Technical Education Grants
The haphazard approach to slashing federal funds puts these and additional programs in severe jeopardy.
More than 93% of Wyoming students learn in a public school, many thousands of them benefiting from the federal funds that the DOE provides. Our students need more opportunities to succeed, and we need to strengthen, not dismantle, public education.
