How much money could Kansas lose if Trump closes US Department of Education?
A recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education could potentially mean less funding for Kansas schools.
The order instructs newly minted Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to take every action needed in order to dismantle the federal department in order to “return authority over education to the States and local communities.”
While it is still unclear what the changes would look like, it could mean a scale back or the elimination of programs for some districts.
According to Denise Kahler, the Kansas State Department of Education’s communication director, the state agency receives no local dollars. Instead, KSDE’s funds all come from state and federal sources, not from the school district levy of property taxes.
“For decades, federal support has played a critical role in ensuring equitable access to education, particularly for students with disabilities, those from low-income families, and rural communities,” a March 21 press release from the state agency reads.
Exactly how much money does the Kansas State Department of Education get from the federal government? Here’s what to know.
Where does the Kansas State Department of Education get its funding?
The state department gets roughly $600 million from the federal government every year, Deputy Commissioner Frank Harwood told The Eagle. However, that number has been higher recently due to American Rescue Plan Act funds — funds given out for coronavirus pandemic relief.
“So in FY24 ... it was about almost $930 million in federal funding,” Harwood said.
Out of that $930 million in federal funding, more than $300 million came from the U.S. Department of Education.
In total, the Kansas State Department of Education got more than $316 million in funding from the federal department for fiscal year 2024, not including pandemic relief funds, according to numbers provided to The Eagle. With pandemic relief funds, the total number amounts to $357,969,153, according to Harwood.
Here’s a quick look at the specific programs the U.S. Department of Education funds for Kansas, from fiscal year 2024:
- Special education: $136,754,083
- Title programs: $167,817,924
- McKinney Veto: $632,703
- Perkins: $6,644,103
- Education research grants: $716,255
- Pre-K pilot: $4,152,866
Title programs include funding for low-income students and services for English-language learners. Each grant is distributed to school districts based on a number of factors. Some are based on total enrollment, while others are based on the number of students in need of those specific grants, for example, according to Kahler.
“While we have received assurances that funding will not be affected, we do not know yet what impact the elimination of federal oversight will have for programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), and the Higher Education Act (HEA),” the March 21 press release from the Kansas State Department of Education reads.
However, the state department is preparing for two alternatives: In one case, oversight of the programs would be moved to a different federal agency. If that happens, the impact to Kansas’ education funding could be minimal, the state agency said.
If Congress decided to make changes to programs the U.S. Department of Education funds, however, that could mean cuts to specific programs the state offers to students.
“If Congress takes action to abolish the ED and makes changes to the programs that it funds, there would be significant impacts on schools and students, especially students with the most educational needs,” Kahler told The Eagle via email. “Without increased support from state and local governments, school districts would be forced to reduce services for all students as they adjust to the decrease in available resources.”
