The future of federal education funding is on the line, and Pennsylvania will lose billions if former President Donald Trump’s long-promised plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education becomes a reality.
While public schools rely mostly on state and local funding, federal dollars help cover critical expenses, especially for students with disabilities, low-income families, and English language learners.
If those funds disappear, Pennsylvania school districts will be forced to make difficult choices that could lead to tax increases, program cuts, or both.
Pennsylvania’s K-12 public schools spend about $36.3 billion each year, averaging $21,441 per student.
Of that, the federal government contributes more than $4.6 billion, which breaks down to about $2,757 per student.
Without this funding, many school districts would struggle to provide essential services.
Philadelphia, the state’s largest school district, depends mainly on state and local funding, but it still receives about $16 million in federal support.
While that may seem like a small fraction of its overall budget, losing those funds would make it even harder to meet the needs of students who rely on extra academic support.
Acting Pennsylvania Education Secretary Carrie Rowe explained the problem in a recent state House Appropriations Committee hearing.
She said Pennsylvania receives around $1 billion in federal money for programs that help disadvantaged students, train teachers, and assist students in learning English.
In addition, the state receives another $600 million through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which helps cover the cost of special education services.
If that money were cut off, she said, schools would be left scrambling to fill the gap.
She also pointed out that if schools could not make up for those losses through state funding, local taxes would likely increase.
The idea of shutting down the U.S. Department of Education is not new.
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to eliminate it, arguing that education decisions should be left to the states.
However, only Congress has the authority to close a federal agency, so Trump cannot do it on his own.
Even if Congress had approved such a move, education programs would still need to be managed somehow.
Some responsibilities might be transferred to other federal agencies.
For example, the Head Start program, which helps young children from low-income families, is already run by the Department of Health and Human Services.
However, there is no clear plan for how other programs would be handled.
Pennsylvania is not alone in relying on federal education funding.
On average, states that voted for Trump in the last election get more of their school funding from the federal government than states that supported Vice President Kamala Harris.
The numbers show that Trump-voting states receive about 17% of their total school funding from Washington, while states that backed Harris get around 11%.
In Pennsylvania, federal dollars account for 13.6% of education funding, meaning Pennsylvania is more dependent on federal support than some other Democratic-leaning states.
Beyond K-12 education, the possible elimination of the Department of Education could have far-reaching effects on higher education.
The department administers federal student loans and Pell Grants, which help millions of low-income students afford college.
While Congress sets Pell Grant funding, which would likely remain in place, other student aid programs could be at risk.
If federal student loans are phased out or transferred to private lenders, students could face higher interest rates, fewer repayment options, and the loss of loan forgiveness programs.
For those with existing student debt, the potential transfer of loans to another agency or private servicer could cause massive disruptions.
The department is also responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws in schools.
Its Office for Civil Rights investigates complaints about unfair treatment based on race, gender, or disability.
If the department is shut down, it is unclear whether those protections would remain in place at the same level.
Schools could lose federal oversight that ensures students receive fair treatment, and there might not be a clear process for filing complaints about discrimination.
Pennsylvania has been dealing with education funding challenges at the state level for years.
A state court recently ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional, finding a $4.5 billion gap between the state’s wealthiest and poorest districts.
Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed education budget aims to close that gap by adding $526 million in new funding.
Nonetheless, losing federal money would make it even harder to address these disparities.
Education funding has also been a point of political disagreement.
Republican lawmakers have pushed for school choice programs, arguing that students in struggling schools should have more options.
One proposal would have created a $100 million voucher program to help students attend private schools, but House Democrats blocked it in 2023.
Instead, lawmakers increased funding for tax credit scholarships, which let businesses and individuals direct their tax liability toward private school tuition.
These scholarships primarily benefit students in the lowest-performing 5% of public schools.
Concerns have also been growing about how cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania use their funding.
A recent audit by Republican Auditor General Timothy DeFoor found that five cyber charter schools had accumulated excessive budget surpluses while traditional public schools struggled financially.
The audit showed that cyber charter fund balances grew by 144%, reaching $619 million between July 2020 and June 2023.
This is partly because the state’s funding formula requires school districts to pay cyber charters based on what they spend per student rather than the actual cost of providing online education.
In response, Shapiro has proposed capping cyber charter tuition at $8,000 per student, which could save school districts an estimated $378 million each year.
Rowe, the acting education secretary, said she is deeply concerned about the audit’s findings.
She pointed out that while it makes sense for schools to maintain financial reserves, cyber charter schools are holding onto significantly larger surpluses than traditional public schools.
She believes an $8,000 tuition cap would not harm cyber schools but would provide much-needed financial relief to struggling districts.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of the Department of Education is creating anxiety for Pennsylvania’s schools, students, and taxpayers.
If Congress agrees to eliminate the department, the state will have to figure out how to replace billions in lost funding while also managing ongoing school funding challenges.
Even if federal education programs are shifted to other agencies, there is no guarantee that they will receive the same funding or oversight.
Education officials are now focused on preparing for possible cuts, but Rowe admitted that the options are not promising.
The bottom line is that if Pennsylvania loses federal education funding, school districts, students, and taxpayers will bear the burden.
The question is: Can Pennsylvania afford that risk?
