The Center Square) – The leadership of Seattle Public Schools plans to stay the course amid President Donald Trump’s effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order dissolving the federal department of education and returning education policy to the states. Congressional approval would be needed to fully abolish the department.
Departing Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones and Seattle School Board of Directors President Gina Topp sent a letter to district families and staff that stated the district’s intent to remain steadfast in its values amid a changing landscape.
Seattle Public Schools – Washington state’s largest district with more than 51,000 students – intends to follow the guidance of the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and serve students in accordance with its policies and state and federal laws.
OSPI noted in a news release that the state Legislature has instituted civil rights protections for students beyond the federal minimum protections, and added that no order issued by a president will diminish the state’s obligation to serve all students.
According to OSPI, school districts across Washington average 6.95% federal funding as a percentage of total K–12 funding.
Seattle Public Schools’ 2024-2025 school-year budget totals $1.23 billion, of which 6.5% is federal funding.
“[Seattle Public Schools] students of every racial and ethnic background, income status, disability status, immigration status, language spoken, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or any other personal characteristics will receive equitable access to educational opportunities and supports,” Jones and Topp wrote in their letter. “Our mission has not changed. Our work will not stop.”
Seattle Public Schools’ policies center around the concept of educational equity, which means implementing a barrier-free educational environment for all students.
In order to enforce educational equity, the district has to differentiate resource allocation within budgetary limitations to meet the needs of students who need more support.
“Seattle Public Schools stands firm in our values and will continue to stand with and serve all our students and families,” Jones and Topp conclude in their letter.
Supporters of Trump’s executive order argue that the Department of Education has become too bureaucratic and inefficient. They believe that education should be managed at the state and local levels rather than through a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach.
Critics of Trump’s executive order claim it is unconstitutional and will raise property taxes. They say it could also cause struggling schools to close due to a lack of federal funding.
The modern U.S. Department of Education was established by President Jimmy Carter, who signed it into law in October 1979.
