Are Block Grants The Answer To Fund Education?

A look at the proposed new way IDEA and education for students may be funded under Trump's plan to dismantle the Department of Education

The first installment of this series on the Department of Education under Trump brought some basic history and background to the forty year fight to abolish the DOE.  In the next week, we will dive into some of the specifics and what that may look like, if the changes President-elect Trump has proposed were to pass into law.  

Photo by David Ballew on Unsplash

Project 2025 has proposed some bold changes to the Department of Education, (DOE) and how the programs currently under it will run going forward.  As I discussed in the previous article, we may see that the funding is both reduced, and becomes a block grant structure.  People who have heard Trump call for the de-funding and abolition of the Department of Education, or have read the proposal put forth in Project 2025 are rightfully upset and concerned as to what this may mean for their children and their schools.  This is especially true of those who have children with disabilities.  

Today, I want to address that specifically. I want to preface this article by saying that this topic can get a little complicated.  I am solely trying to provide a general overview.  (As always, I am happy to get ‘wonky’ in the comments)

IDEA is the law under which things like Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and 504 Medical Plans for students are regulated.  The funding that ensures that the rules in IDEA are being adhered to for students K-12 is provided by the Department of Education.  This article will deal with how the Heritage Foundation and Trump want to change the way that IDEA is funded, how it will affect students, and actionable steps to protect the funding within your community.  

IDEA isn’t going away.  IEPs are not going away.  But, that does not mean that they aren’t in danger, or that students with disabilities aren’t in danger of being forced into an education system vastly different from what we are accustomed to.  This would not be immediate.  Most of the plans call for the changes to be implemented over the span of 10 years. This is meant to give states the opportunity to prepare their own budgets and legislation for education, as well as the departments that will take over the DOE’s responsibilities to be able to absorb the jobs that are transferred.

From Project 2025: 

“To the extent that federal taxpayer dollars are used to fund education programs, those funds should be blockgranted to states without strings, eliminating the need for many federal and state bureaucrats.” page 325

Project 2025 has suggested that IDEA funding should be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services, and funded through a block grant.  The plan was never to defund it entirely.  It was to reduce it, and transfer it to another agency. In this case HHS.

When we talk about education for students with IEPs or 504s, it’s important to know how we got here.  Prior to the 1970s, students with disabilities were not promised a seat in public schools.  Many communities set up “schools” that were in essence, institutions.  In 1975 landmark legislation was passed. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act provided that all children were afforded free and appropriate education, as well as the ability to learn alongside their non-disabled peers. This legislation would be the precursor to IDEA.  

However, as we have seen throughout the years, there is some dissension on what is “appropriate”.  Nearly every school throughout the nation has segregated classrooms in some sense. This is often decided based on a number of factors, and decided based on what they feel the students' needs are.  Some students may be segregated all day, while others may only have certain class periods when they are in a separate classroom.  

This becomes very important when we talk about block grants and what the fall out may be if the move is made to fund IDEA and special education services that way.  

Let’s start to unpack this by defining what a block grant is:

Block grants are a federal funding mechanism, by which each state would receive one lump sum towards an issue, with very little oversight as to how to spend that money.  As long as the money went to the broad topic that it was meant for; ie: Education. It would be left up to the state legislature to decide exactly what programs would receive that funding.  Typically, the state legislature would pass laws to dictate how those funds will be used, prior to receiving the block grant money.

The good news about block grant funding is that it means there is funding.  

Unfortunately, the bad news is abundant.  

The chief complaint regarding block grant funding is that fixed funding source.  This means that there is no money to address issues that arise if they require additional funding, until the next budget cycle. For states like Wisconsin, the budget is on a two year, as opposed to yearly cycle.  This means, that should more funding be required, there could, potentially be a two year wait before it was released.  

It also strips away any commitment to the issue by the Federal Government.  In other words, once the state receives the block grant, they are on their own.  

Block grants are praised by proponents as a means to save the federal government money.  They do.  Estimates for the previous Trump administration Medicaid block grants expected a savings of $700 billion over ten years.  But, that often comes at the cost of the states cutting services.  

If need rises, and cannot be covered by the money allocated, the only options the state has is to cut eligibility, cut benefits, or create a waiting list.  

The savings typically come at a very costly human price for vulnerable populations.

There are only a few options if the federal government moves to block grants in order to fund special education needs: 

States keep the same services, and school districts must find the funding sources from the local community.  

This can be achieved in a variety of ways.  There are tax levies and referendums that can be passed to help support the school system and the higher cost in the districts. Property taxes could be raised. Sales tax in counties could be raised. The state could raise sales tax and give grants to districts. This may work in higher income communities.  However, for impoverished communities, this will fail to pass. People simply can’t afford to pay more.  And as a result, the schools and students will suffer.

The school district will cut funding for all extra-curricular acitivites. 

School districts are already facing no other options, and opting for this route.   A school district in Marysville, OH was unable to get a tax levy passed on the 2024 election day ballot, and is now charging $770 per student, with no family cap, for extra-curricular activities. These fees are often known as “pay to play” fees.  They do not just apply to sports.  In other communities, “pay to play” fees have applied to band, theater, art, physical education, choir, and various clubs.  

As public schools lose funding there will be a rush to “school choice” and vouchers for those who feel as though their children are not having their needs met. 

Unfortunately, for students who are protected under IDEA, this isn’t always a fail safe.  Most private schools are exempt from IDEA protections.  They do not have to abide by the desegregation of classrooms for those with disability, nor do they have to abide by the same standards of support aides for students that require them.  

This could lead to further segregation of students from their peers within the school.  There is also the possibility that we see special private schools for students with disabilities pop up; using vouchers to pay for it.  These schools would still not be beholden to IDEA, and would be able to form their own standards of what is appropriate education.  

The most likely scenario is that we see all three of these potential results come to fruition in some capacity. 

The truth is, it is hard to tell which is the most likely, even by state.  The governing boards within the states and the districts themselves, would ultimately make the decision on how best to serve the needs of their students. There would be little federal oversight, and so, the quality of education will not just vary by state, but by individual school district as well.

There are things that can be done, in order to stave off the worst of it.  

Per IDEA, the federal government is meant to account for 40% of the cost per child who requires special education services.  This funding goal has never been met.  Instead the federal contribution comes in around 14%- 20%, varying slightly by year, and by state.  

The most amount of funding we will lose for programs under IDEA is less than 25%. That is still a sizable chunk, and if we wish to continue to provide services at the same level, we need to start to think about how that will be recouped and protected.

In this case, the preemptive plan will be the best plan.   

You should begin to make calls and send emails to your state and local officials.  This includes the school board, or school district stakeholders.  Let them know that you do not want a reduction in services and ask them what their plans are to ensure there will not be one.

Federal legislators and regulatory bodies should be contacted as well.  Ask federal lawmakers to vote no against any measure that will lead to the abolition or restructuring of the Department of Education. Ask what their plans are if/when those bills make their appearance on the floor for a vote.

Now is the time to start making your feelings known, not when the legislation starts pouring in, and we are on the defensive.  The best defense is a good offense, as the saying goes.

If you are worried about your children’s education, link up with a support group or disability rights group, who are committed to the issue.  The Arc, Disability Rights and the National Disability Rights Network are all great options.  Typically, they have both knowledge of state and federal laws, and a resource of lobbyists, advocates, and legal references that can aid you in knowing the right places to go within your state to make sure that IDEA and education for disabled students are protected.  

There will be an impact, if Trump gets his way with the Department of Education.  I would be either lying or delusional if I said there is not going to be a negative fall out. The likelihood of it being as cataclysmic as some are saying is still relatively low.  But, if you have children in the public school system ... .brace for impact, and start knowing what the laws are or could potentially become in your state. 

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As always, thank you for reading! — Courtney