STATEMENT FROM AFT-NH PRESIDENT DEB HOWES
Trump’s Drastic Cutbacks at US Department of Education Will Hurt New Hampshire Students and Local Property Taxpayers
Concord, NH—Yesterday, President Donald Trump began his long expected shut down of the US Dept. of Education by laying off nearly half of the staff. Deb Howes, President AFT-NH released the following statement:
“ Hollowing out the US Department of Education so it cannot fulfill its mission of supporting all students’ access to public education, frankly, is reminiscent of the utter disregard that our own Commissioner of Education has for all public-school students, especially those from families or communities struggling with poverty or students who need special education services.
Two years ago, Commissioner Frank Edelblut purposefully did not increase his request to the state for special education grants. When it became clear the funding was not going be enough to support all the students in public schools who needed help, the Commissioner chose to do nothing. To make up for this lack of planned on State funding, local school districts have walked a tightrope between reducing other educational expenses in their budgets such as teachers, paraeducators and educational programs or asking local property taxpayers to take on even more of the cost of public education.
With the mass firings at the US DOE this problem will be exacerbated. President Trump’s latest round in his efforts to dismantle the US Dept. of Education will have very real consequences for public school students in New Hampshire, especially those who need special education services, and those from communities with families living in poverty. Local taxpayers will be forced to pick up the tab for increased costs so students can keep getting the assistance they need or supports or other programs will have to be cut, leaving our students who struggle the most without the help they need to thrive.
Governor Ayotte must stand up to President Trump, the candidate she supported and endorsed and tell him that dismantling the US DOE will cost New Hampshire families and taxpayers greatly. She must either stand up to the President or be complicit in the harm that will follow.”
Background:
- New Hampshire public school students who are struggling with reading or math will lose additional targeted academic support from trained teachers and tutors that is paid for out of the more than $51 million in Title 1 grants NH receives from the US DOE.
- NH public school students with special needs could lose individual paraeducator support to review and reinforce academic lessons and provide behavioral support that are paid for with the nearly $62 million in IDEA funding NH receives from the US DOE. It could mean NH students have less time with speech therapists, physical therapists and other related services.
- NH public school students who want practical, hands on learning that prepares them for the workforce in our Career and Technical Education would have fewer opportunities at a time when more students are clamoring for exactly this kind of learning! NH receives $9 million for CTE from the US DOE.
- NH students will lose any federal oversight to ensure students with disabilities, students who are learning English as a second language and students living in poverty have full access to their public education.