President Donald Trump is proposing $12 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Education budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. The plan “reflects an agency that is responsibly winding down,” the administration says in budget documents.
While the president’s budget proposal keeps topline funding steady for the Education Department’s two largest sources of funding for schools, Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, it asks Congress to eliminate nearly four dozen other grant programs that provide services for specific K-12 student populations, pay for teacher training and professional development, and fund education research and data collection, according to an Education Week analysis of the Trump budget.
The Trump administration proposes to consolidate 18 of those grant programs into a $2 billion “K-12 Simplified Funding Program” that states and districts would have substantial flexibility to spend as they see fit—though with $4.5 billion less overall than what the individual programs it would replace currently provide. It proposes eliminating six special education grant programs and transferring the money allocated for them into the primary IDEA funding stream for states. And it proposes merging six different education research and data collection programs into a single account that would be $450 million smaller in total.
The budget would zero out more than a dozen other grant programs that, among other things, pay for services for K-12 English learners, efforts to help low-income students reach college, adult education, education for migrant students, teacher training, and the production of educational TV for young children.
Below is a guide to the Education Department programs slated for consolidation and elimination in the Trump administration’s fiscal 2026 budget, with brief descriptions of each program and the 2024 funding level.
The programs listed here are those that most directly affect K-12 students and school districts. Other categories of the Education Department budget that aren’t listed here, such as civil rights enforcement and department salaries and administration, are slated for reductions rather than elimination.
Use the buttons below to navigate between categories of grant programs depending on what the budget proposes for them. Click on the downward facing arrows for more information on who receives each grant and the purpose it serves.
Programs slated for consolidation into the K-12 Simplified Funding Program
Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), $2.19 billion
Purpose: This grant, which goes to all states according to a funding formula, is the primary source of federal money supporting teacher professional development. States can use the money to reform principal and teacher certification programs, provide support for new teachers, and offer professional development for teachers and principals. It’s the largest grant program slated for consolidation into the K-12 Simplified Funding Program.
Student Support and Academic Enrichment (Title IV-A), $1.38 billion
Purpose: This formula grant aims to help schools provide students with a well-rounded education, improve school conditions for student learning, and improve technology use to boost achievement and digital literacy. Title IV-A is the result of a previous consolidation of grant programs under the Every Student Succeeds Act. It’s the second largest of the grant programs slated for consolidation.
21st Century Community Learning Centers, $1.33 billion
Purpose: This is the primary federal funding source for before- and after-school programs. It goes to states according to a funding formula.
State Assessments, $380 million
Purpose: This formula grant, which goes out to recipients according to a funding formula, funds the development of state assessments for federal accountability purposes and their administration.
Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), $220 million
Purpose: REAP includes two separate programs that provide money to schools—one for schools with fewer than 600 students or in sparsely populated areas, and one for rural districts also designated low-income.
School Safety National Activities, $216 million
Purpose: These competitive grants can fund a variety of efforts including school climate improvement, emergency management and preparedness, and school-based mental health services. During his first term, Trump proposed a significant increase for this program.
Comprehensive Literacy State Development, $194 million
Purpose: The competitive grant helps states develop literacy instruction programs that serve students from birth through high school graduation, with an emphasis on students from low-income families, English learners, and children with disabilities.
Magnet Schools Assistance, $139 million
Purpose: The competitive grant program intends to support local desegregation efforts. Districts in the program run magnet schools that are part of federally approved desegregation plans. The magnet schools offer specialized programming that attracts students from a variety of backgrounds.
Education for Homeless Children and Youth (McKinney-Vento), $129 million
Purpose: The grant, which goes to states according to a funding formula, supports an office in each state to coordinate the education of homeless children, issue competitive grants to local school districts to support this student population, and gather information on the obstacles homeless children face that get in the way of school attendance. Grants to school districts can address challenges stemming from transportation needs, missing school records and birth certificates, and immunization and residency requirements.
Promise Neighborhoods, $91 million
Purpose: The competitive grant supports distressed communities in improving children’s and families’ academic and developmental outcomes, largely through “pipeline” services, including social, health, nutrition, and mental health services; early childhood education; support for children at transition points in their academic career (elementary to middle school, middle to high school, high school to college and the workforce); and college- and job-preparation efforts. During his first term, Trump proposed ending this program, which is modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone initiative in New York City that combines charter schools with wraparound community services.
Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk (Title I-D), $49.2 million
Purpose: The formula grant program supports the education of students in institutions or correctional facilities as well as students who have dropped out or recently returned from incarceration.
Native Hawaiian Education, $45.9 million
Purpose: The competitive grant supports initiatives designed to supplement education opportunities for Native Hawaiians. Activities can include early learning programs, family-based education centers, early literacy programs, special education, professional development, and efforts to prepare Native Hawaiian students for postsecondary education.
Alaska Native Education, $45 million
Purpose: The competitive grant funds programs aimed at improving educational outcomes for Alaska Natives. They can include activities to preserve Alaska Native languages, professional development, home instruction for Alaska Native preschool-age students, family literacy services, student enrichment in science and math, and dropout prevention.
Arts in Education National Program, $36.5 million
Purpose: The competitive grant supports national arts education initiatives, with an emphasis on students from low-income families and students with disabilities.
Innovative Approaches to Literacy, $30 million
Purpose: The competitive program helps recipients construct literacy instruction programs that serve students from birth through high school graduation. Examples include school library programs; initiatives to promote reading during medical well visits; and efforts to supply students from low-income communities with new books.
American History and Civics Education, FY2024 $23 million
Purpose: The competitive grant program supports academies for teachers and students so both groups can enhance their knowledge of American history, civics, and government. The program also funds professional development for teachers in American history, civics and government, and geography.
Statewide Family Engagement Centers, $20 million
Purpose: The competitive grant supports organizations that provide technical assistance to state education departments and school districts on implementing family engagement policies and programs.
Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education, $16.5 million
Purpose: The competitive grant program supports research, demonstration projects, strategies and other efforts to help schools identify students for gifted and talented education programs.
Special education grant programs slated to become part of IDEA grants to states
Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities (IDEA, Part B-619), $420 million
Purpose: The grant supports special education services for preschool-age students (ages 3-5) with disabilities. The funding goes to states based on a funding formula.
Personnel Preparation, $115 million
Purpose: This program encompasses different grants focused on preparing special education teachers to meet specific state workforce needs. High-priority areas for the grant include training new special education teachers, educators who serve children with less common disabilities, and special education administrators.
Technical Assistance and Dissemination, $39.4 million
Purpose: The competitive grant is the federal government’s primary mechanism for providing educators with information on effective special education practices. The grants fund technical assistance centers that spread this information.
State Personnel Development Grants, $38.6 million
Purpose: The competitive grant program supports professional development for special education teachers, including recruitment and retention efforts.
Parent Training and Information Centers, $33.2 million
Educational Technology, Media, and Materials, $31.4 million
Purpose: This is the primary federal funding source for accessible technology and digital media materials needed in the instruction of children with disabilities.
Research and data collection programs slated for reductions and consolidation
Research, Development, and Dissemination, $245 million
The account funds research and related efforts under the Institute of Education Sciences.
Statistics, $121.5 million
The National Center for Education Statistics, an IES unit, primarily gathers key statistics and data on education and compiles the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress through competitively awarded contracts.
Institute of Education Sciences administration, $73.5 million
The account funds salaries and administrative expenses to help IES carry out its duties.
Research in Special Education, $64.2 million
The program funds research into how children with disabilities develop and learn, and best practices for their instruction.
Regional Education Laboratories, $53.7 million
The 10 regional laboratories provide technical assistance to states and school districts, helping them apply research findings to school improvement. The Trump administration terminated REL contracts over the winter.
Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, $28.5 million
The competitive state grants support the development and implementation of longitudinal data systems that combine different sources of data on student achievement and outcomes, intended as a tool to help judge the effectiveness of different state education programs and interventions.
Special Education Studies and Evaluation, $13.3 million
The program supports evaluations of the effectiveness of state and local special education efforts.
K-12 and related programs proposed for elimination
TRIO (higher education access for disadvantaged students), $1.2 billion
Purpose: TRIO encompasses eight different programs—including Upward Bound, Talent Search, and student support services—aimed at helping disadvantaged students (those from low-income families, students with disabilities, and first-generation college students) progress from middle school through college.
English Language Acquisition State Grants (Title III-A), $890 million
Purpose: Title III-A is the primary federal funding source for supplemental services for English learners, whom school districts are required to serve. The Education Department has already effectively closed its office of English language acquisition through staff cuts, absorbing into the office of elementary and secondary education.
Adult Education, $729.2 million
Purpose: The grant, which goes to states according to a funding formula, funds local adult education programs, many of which school districts operate.
Migrant student education programs, FY2024 $427.7 million
Purpose: Grants under the Migrant Education Program flow to states according to a funding formula and support the education of migrant students, generally the children of parents working in seasonal agricultural jobs. The funding can support the identification of migrant students, instructional and support services, and partnerships with organizations helping migrant families. Other related grant programs help migrant students obtain high school equivalency diplomas and provide scholarships for eligible students enrolled in college.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), $388 million
Purpose: GEAR UP grants support programs designed to boost the college preparedness of middle and highschool students from low-income backgrounds. Grant recipients work with cohorts of students starting in middle school, providing supportive services and, in some cases, college scholarships.
Education Innovation and Research, $259 million
Purpose: Grants support the development, creation, and implementation of innovative practices to improve high-need students’ achievement, as well as rigorous evaluation of the efforts.
Full-Service Community Schools, $150 million
Purpose: The grant supports initiatives that transform schools into central hubs where families can access a variety of services, including housing support and health care. It can be one strategy to improve student attendance. Increasing funding for community schools was one education priority of the Biden administration.
Supporting Effective Educator Development, $90 million
Purpose: The grants help recipients implement evidence-based practices for preparing educators and enhancing their skills. The SEED program is one of three teacher-training programs for which the Trump administration in February cut most grant awards, prompting two court challenges that are still ongoing. The budget would codify the program’s elimination.
Teacher Quality Partnership, $70 million
Purpose: The program funds undergraduate teacher-preparation and teacher-residency programs. It’s one of three teacher-training programs for which the Trump administration terminated grants earlier this year. The budget would codify this program’s elimination.
Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program, $60 million
Purpose: The program helps grant recipients develop, improve, and expand performance-based compensation systems for teachers and administrators. The grant program is one of three for which the Trump administration in February canceled awards. The budget would codify the program’s elimination.
Comprehensive Centers, $50 million
Purpose: The nearly two dozen comprehensive centers help states and school districts with the development and implementation of instructional improvement strategies, following a five-year plan each regional center develops according to challenges faced by students, educators, and the school systems in their territory. There are also a handful of comprehensive centers that are national in scope but focus on specific topic areas. While the current federal budget provides funding for the centers, the Trump administration in February terminated the contracts for all existing comprehensive centers.
Ready to Learn Programming, $31 million
Purpose: Ready to Learn funds the development of educational television for preschool- and early elementary-age children and has supported the creation of “Sesame Street,” “Reading Rainbow,” and other PBS programs. The Education Department has already terminated the awards that went to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and local public television stations.
Hawkins Centers for Excellence, $15 million
Purpose: The program supports state-accredited teacher-preparation programs, particularly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions.
Equity Assistance Centers, $6.6 million
Purpose: Equity Assistance Centers provide technical assistance to schools as they develop and implement desegregation plans. While the current federal budget provides funding for the centers, the Trump administration in February terminated the contracts for the four entities running them. The budget would codify their elimination.
2025-06-04 18:17:34
Source link
