Governors in several Republican-led states are pressing the Trump administration to cut strings attached to their federal education aid, a goal conservatives have long dreamed of that now appears within reach as President Donald Trump moves to dismantle the Education Department.
Iowa put itself forward as a test case this month, asking the Education Department to consolidate its federal aid into a single grant with few spending requirements. The idea has failed to gain support in Congress in the past, but Iowa is suggesting the Trump administration has the power to act alone.
Republican governors and lawmakers have been promoting the idea in other states including Ohio and Kansas, where the Legislature passed a resolution this month urging the Trump administration to provide education aid as block grants.
Other Republican leaders are eager to follow. Oklahoma’s education office said it’s “actively investigating a comprehensive block grant solution.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote an opinion piece last week pushing for block grants. Conservatives are calling it the natural next step in Trump’s promise to shut down the Education Department and give more power to states.
Oklahoma's education office said it's exploring the idea “in preparation for a big announcement that will reshape how we approach education.” Officials did not elaborate.
The Education Department channels billions of dollars a year to America’s public schools, but it’s divided into dozens of grants with different targets. The biggest is Title I, which uses a formula to direct more money to schools with high concentrations of poverty, while other programs focus on areas from teacher training to rural schools.
For years, Republicans have pushed block grants as a way to scale back federal involvement in education. They say it would save schools from onerous reporting requirements and allow them to steer federal money toward areas that need it most.
Opponents say say block grants would allow states to redirect money away from student groups now targeted by the federal aid, including low-income students and English learners, and toward Republican priorities.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has denounced “federal red tape” and said states should be empowered to take charge. When she was asked about block grants Sunday on CNN's “State of the Union,” she noted that model has been suggested but said federal aid for students with disabilities would not be consolidated with Title I money.