Trump Administration Escalates Harmful Attacks on Public Education and Student Academic Services

“From funding adult literacy programs to ensuring students with disabilities can access a free public education, the U.S. Department of Education is essential to communities in rural, urban, and suburban areas. It is crucial that Americans know how the Trump administration plans to continue the agency’s critical services, which include:

• Supporting school districts with high poverty rates by administering Title I funding, including resources and support for teachers
• Ensuring that children with disabilities receive a free public education with proper accommodations
• Administering TRIO, which includes programs that provide academic support services to more than 870,000 low-income, first-generation, and veteran students
• Enforcing civil rights laws in schools, protecting students from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, and sex in the classroom
• Administering the Pell Grant program and the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which ensures that millions of students can access grants and loans to make higher education more accessible
• Supporting adult literacy and education programs

“These are vital programs that support our children, their families, and my constituents, and I will vigorously oppose reckless proposals and cuts that threaten our future workforce and harm our nation’s future generations. Make no mistake, when Donald Trump says he wants to give education ‘back to the states,’ it means he wants to slash academic preparedness programs for veterans, cut federal funds to schools, and end adult literacy programs. While it takes an act of Congress to create or shutter a federal agency, President Trump and an unelected billionaire are getting a head start: hollowing out the agency by cutting staff and freezing funding. In response to the President’s call for legislation to eliminate the Department of Education, I will work aggressively with my colleagues to oppose any legislation to eliminate the Department of Education and continue my efforts to raise awareness of its important services to our communities.”

Congresswoman Moore comes from a family of educators, serves as co-chair of the Congressional TRIO Caucus, and is a champion of public education. Last month, Congresswoman Moore led 18 of her colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon emphasizing the importance of the Department and the harms of its closure. In February, along with her colleagues, she sent a letter requesting a meeting with Acting Secretary of Education, Denise Carter. After demanding a meeting at the Department of Education, the Members were denied entrance at doors that were labeled all-access and officials requested additional security.

She also led a letter to House Leadership with Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair, Representative Greg Casar, and 23 other Members, urging them to reject any requests from the Trump Administration to advance legislation that would defund, dismantle, or abolish the Department of Education. In December 2024, Congresswoman Moore published an op-ed in The Nation highlighting the importance of federal support for public education.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.