LOUISVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — Protect Our Schools KY released a statement on Thursday, calling for Kentucky's Congressional delegation to "stand up for our schools and publicly oppose anything that can threaten or cut critical federal funding for schools."
The statement comes as President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to begin the dismantling of the Department of Education.
In the statement, the organization condemned the move and called it, as well as the potential for Congress to make deep budget cuts "that could harm students," reckless.
"Federal funding is vital in ensuring that Kentucky’s students have access to a quality education," the organization said. "Nearly one in five dollars in our school budgets comes from federal grants, providing support for school meals, children with disabilities, low-income students, and teacher training."
Protect Our Schools KY said that these cuts would be "devastating" for classrooms, resulting teacher cuts, loss of support for special education, and "even the possibility of new school lunch fees for struggling families."
"For Kentucky, we can’t withstand the stripping away of vital dollars from our schools at a time when we should be strengthening—not weakening—public education," the statement continued. "The President cannot unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education."
Read the full statement here:
Today, the President issued an executive order to begin the process of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, putting critical federal funding for Kentucky schools at risk. At the same time, Congress is considering deep budget cuts that could harm students. These reckless moves threaten the future of Kentucky’s children by slashing funding for public schools, eliminating teacher positions, and pulling resources from students who need them most.
Federal funding is vital in ensuring that Kentucky’s students have access to a quality education. Nearly one in five dollars in our school budgets comes from federal grants, providing support for school meals, children with disabilities, low-income students, and teacher training. These funds directly impact classrooms and ultimately pay for educators, counselors, and school staff across the Commonwealth. In some rural districts, where resources are already stretched thin, federal dollars account for more than 1/3 of their school budgets. If cuts move forward, the results will be devastating: fewer teachers in classrooms, the loss of special education support, reduced afterschool programs, and even the possibility of new school lunch fees for struggling families.
This move to reduce critical funding streams that ensure all students, regardless of zip code or income, have access to the resources they need to thrive could cause sweeping harm across the Commonwealth. For Kentucky, we can’t withstand the stripping away of vital dollars from our schools at a time when we should be strengthening—not weakening—public education.
The President cannot unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education. We urge Kentucky’s Congressional delegation to stand up for our schools and publicly oppose anything that can threaten or cut critical federal funding for schools. Our students, educators, and communities cannot afford to lose the resources that make learning possible.
According to previous reporting by the Scripps News Group, Trump said in a press conference on Thursday that his administration aims to close the department "as quickly as possible."
Programs related to Pell Grants, Title 1, and resources for special needs children would continue to be maintained by the federal government, Trump said.
The Department of Education cannot be formally closed without Congressional approval.
