For years, President Trump has talked about his desire to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. On Thursday, he issued an executive order to move the process forward -- and in Florida, reactions range from enthusiasm to anxiety.
Abolishing the U.S. Department of Education would require an act of Congress. But in his order, the president directs the agency to make a plan to shutter it.
For Leon School Superintendent Rocky Hanna, it’s a step into the unknown.
“For school districts across the country, not only in Florida but across the country, there’s a lot of anxiety right now," he said, "because around $3 million a month of our payroll expenses are funded by federal programs.”
He’s talking about Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA…funding for low-income students, staff development, English as a second language and student loans.
“If they simply eliminate the federal Department of Education and the bureaucracy and are able to push more money down to our local school districts, then great," Hanna said. "But really, there’s a big fear of the unknown right now.”
Rosanne Wood of the Leon County School Board, like Hanna, is worried about what will happen to vulnerable students whose education gets extra support from federal money.
“Our mission in public schools is to help every child, and these funds are critical,” she said.
Wood points to Title I funding for schools with 75 percent of students from low-income areas and IDEA money for students with disabilities.
“We have more need in that area than we’ve ever had before," she said. "So, not only do we need what the federal government gives us, or has been giving us in the past…I hope the state will step up as well. And when we have the resources to help children with disabilities and help children that are low-income, then everybody benefits.”
Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the state university system, is happy about the president’s order.
“Ultimately, I think this is going to be good for the American people," he said. "I think it’s going to be good for our students. I think our states do a very good job, particularly in Florida, in terms of education, whether it’s K-12 or higher education.”
Rodrigues points out that U.S. News and World Report ranked Florida the number-one state in the nation for education in 2024. The magazine said the state ranked first in higher ed and 10th in PreK-through-12.
“So, states like Florida, who have a track record of doing this job well, I think are particularly going to see the benefit,” he said.
Stuart Republican Senator Gayle Harrell chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee on Higher Education and says she has no problem with eliminating federal DOE.
She says funding for vulnerable students can be moved to other entities…student loans to banks, for instance, or to the Treasury Department.
“So, by eliminating the bureaucracy of the Department of Education -- now, that would take federal legislation from Congress to do because it is a recognized department instituted by the U.S. Congress," said Harrell. "So, it can’t be totally abolished. The funds can be moved out of it and the bureaucracy downsized considerably. And those services could be available through other departments.”
Laurie Lawson Cox chairs the Leon County School Board. She spent Thursday, the day Trump signed the executive order, at the Florida capital with legislators and other educators.
“I do believe and I heard them say that they will hold harmless our food issues that we’re worried about with our food and nutrition program in our schools, our Title I funding, and also our students with disabilities, which are 3 areas that are important to me and I know are important to probably every American and every Floridian.”
Trump tasked U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon with taking all necessary steps to close DOE and return its functions to the states. A report from NPR says Trump has announced the Small Business Association will oversee student loans he has indicated the funds for students with disabilities will shift under health and human services.
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