AUDIO TRANSCRIPT: President Trump’s dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education could have effects on CNY schools
Drew Matyasik: With the government shutdown ongoing, President Trump has invoked authority not granted to him before the shutdown to cut parts of the Federal Department of Education. Rachel Gittleman, the president of a local American Federation of Government Employees chapter, explains what those cuts entail.
Rachel Gittleman: Firings close several critical offices at the department which includes the K-12 education office, and the special education office which distribute more than 35 billion dollars in education funding.
Matyasik: North Syracuse parent Robert Clary says he believes these cuts are necessary.
Robert Clary: I do think the Department of Education is not in the best system to begin with so I do support not necessarily gutting the department, but making changes to it.
Matyasik: Clary also says that while he supports these cuts, he does have some reservations about the shutdown’s long-term effects on funding for academic support and programs his kids rely on. Drew Matyasik, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – President Trump announced sweeping cuts to the federal Department of Education last week in the midst of one of the country’s longest government shutdowns.
President Trump made it clear on the campaign trail that gutting the Department of Education would be a top priority in his second administration. Now, with the government shutdown, the president has decided to permanently eliminate 466 positions, instead of bringing them back after the government reopens.
Rachel Gittleman, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, a union representing U.S. Department of Education employees, said on ABC News this Saturday (Oct. 18) that these cuts will eliminate many elementary and special education offices within the department.
“These firings close several critical offices at the department which include the K-12 education office, and the special education office, which distribute more than 35 billion dollars in education funding,” Gittleman said.
As of the 2023-2024 school year, the last year data was available, the New York State Department of Education reported 62,965 students attend public school in Onondaga County, 18% of whom are special education students. With cuts to these offices, these students could face cuts to federal funding for their academic support and programs, forcing the state or local taxpayers to pick up the cost.
According to a court filing, nearly 121 staff members were laid off from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The office is responsible for enforcing education laws that relate to federal protections for students with disabilities through federal funding, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
One central New York parent, Robert Clary, has three kids in the North Syracuse Central School District, the second largest school district in Onondaga County. Clary said that he is not opposed to these cuts, mainly because of how broken public education currently is.
“I do think the Department of Education is not in the best system to begin with, so I do support not necessarily gutting the department, but making changes to it,” Clary said.
Clary said that while he thinks the shutdown was necessary, he is still worried about the impacts that it might have on his kids’ education.
“I see there’s a need for a shutdown based on overspending and whatnot, but sure I certainly want my kids to have the right educational components and feedback, and have great programs and access to that,” Clary said.
It is unclear if the Trump Administration plans to terminate more positions within the department before the shutdown ends.