The head of Michigan’s schools doesn’t think the U.S. Department of Education will be shutdown, but warns cuts to several programs are likely. That’s what Michigan schools Superintendent Michael Rice told a group of parents, community leaders and education supporters during a virtual meeting this week.
Rice says closing the Department of Education would require an act of Congress and the votes aren’t there. He said the group should be concerned about cuts for students with disabilities.
“This federal funding, never more than 20% of the total special education expenditures nationally in the last five years, not close to the 40% pledged by Congress in 1975, could be decreased further,” Rice said. “That would be an outrage.”
Rice says Title One and other programs could also face cuts.
The Department of Education was created in 1979 to, among other things, develop and enforce federal education laws, and conduct research on schools, students and educational issues.
