Washington braces for education cuts
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President Trump's campaign promise to dismantle the Department of Education could cost Washington $845 million in federal aid, according to the Education Law Center. But that's far less than many red states.
Why it matters: Funding for public schools primarily falls to local and state governments, but federal funds work to fill the gaps.
- States that voted for Trump last November, on average, use more federal funding in their education apportions than states that voted for former Vice President Harris.
Zoom in: The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has not seen a detailed plan from the Trump Administration for eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, spokesperson Katy Payne told Axios.
- But like other state education leaders across the nation, the agency is "preparing for any possibility," Payne said.
- Federal funding makes up about 7% of total spending for K–12 education in Washington state, she said, with the majority of those funds coming through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
- The other large appropriation of federal funding for state schools is for meals, which comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Education, Payne said.
By the numbers: Average federal spending in the 2021-22 school year was 17% in Trump-voting states, compared to 11% in states that voted for Harris.
- Mississippi led with 23% of public school funding from federal sources, followed by South Dakota and Arkansas at 22%, per USA Facts.
Context: Trump has promised to sign an executive order curtailing the Department of Education's powers, and dozens of its employees have been placed on administrative leave.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the state could lose $845 million in federal aid (not $359 million).