FARGO — Hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs in the U.S. Department of Education as part of cuts announced this week, leaving many worried about the impact on students and schools.
Teachers’ unions in Minnesota and North Dakota are speaking out about the potential consequences of the cuts, believing students will be the ones most affected. Representatives from both the Fargo and West Fargo school districts say the cuts will not immediately impact their operations, but the announcement has left some nervous about the future.
“While we’ve known about this for a long, long time, when it finally happens, it is rather shocking,” said Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota.
Nearly half of the Department of Education’s workforce is being cut, and some fear this is part of a larger plan to eliminate the department entirely. The presidents of Education Minnesota and North Dakota United, both organizations that represent teachers, are raising concerns about what the cuts could mean for the future of education.
“I think the fact that they’re laying off fully 50% of the staff is problematic and should cause North Dakotans concern,” said Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United.
North Dakota receives just more than $170 million in federal funds from the Department of Education, while Minnesota’s funding is nearly $530 million.
“If we’re going to start messing around with the funding, it’s going to cause an impact in every community in North Dakota with a school,” Archuleta warned.
These federal funds help support programs for students with disabilities, those from low-income families and homeless students.
“Just because the money goes away, doesn’t mean the need goes away. That’s never been how it works. This money is allocated based on need, not based on some fairy dust,” Archuleta added.
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The cuts are not just limited to community schools. They may also affect higher education, including federal Pell Grants that help students pay for college tuition.
“If we want to see job creation depleted, if we want to make higher ed out of reach for most families, take away special ed services, then that’s what’s going to happen,” Specht said.
If the Department of Education is eliminated, President Donald Trump has suggested that education would be run by individual states instead of “bureaucrats in Washington.”
Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz criticized the cuts heavily during a news conference. Meanwhile, North Dakota's Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s office told WDAY News, “Giving states more control over education funding is a good thing,” and the state will work with the administration to ensure schools and students have the resources they need to succeed.
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