The election results represent two waves of change.  It isn't simply that the government will shift its policies and emphasis under soon-to-be President Trump and a Republican Congress; there also has been a release of an ugly stream of fear, hate, and aggression. Both are hitting people in different ways.

Education was not a major-or even a second-tier-issue in this election, but what little we know about the Trump administration's ideas for K-12 education policy show that the administration wants to leverage federal dollars using a different focus and different tools. The Republicans have long championed changing the focus of decision making from the federal government to parents. We can expect that the new Administration and Congress will try to change federal policy to redirect money from schools to individuals in the forms of school choice, portability, vouchers, and/or tax breaks.  

This isn't as simple as it sounds. The challenge will be in determining how what sounds like big money --$20 billion -- will translate when it is divided by the millions of children now receiving Title I funds. It will bring up questions of who is Title I eligible or whether a minuscule amount should be spread among all the nation's more than 50 million public schoolchildren, plus those who are homeschooled or attend private or parochial schools. Another question: How will a change in control and funding streams impact students with an IEP?

In Service,

Jerry Mintz

Executive Director

Alternative Education Resource Organization