The union representing teachers outside of Chicago says President Donald Trump administration’s cuts to the U.S. Department of Education will have a major impact on Illinois schools.
President of Illinois Education Association Al Llorens says that includes almost 300,000 students in the state covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
He also says the cuts will hurt thousands of poor students receiving additional support in school and Pell grants for college. While supporters of the overhaul see it as a way to return dollars and control to the states, Llorens says the department was founded almost 50 years ago because there was no accountability.
The Trump administration’s announcement yesterday that it’s cutting half of the U.S. Department of Education’s staff will cause deep harm to Illinois students and schools, according to the head of a teachers’ union.
The union has identified 265,000 college students who receive Pell grants that will be hurt by the cuts. It says eliminating the federal agency will exacerbate the state’s failure to fully fund schools.