Expresses support for public K-12 schools and condemns actions to defund public education or weaken the Department of Education.
Adam Schiff
Senator
CA
This resolution expresses the Senate's support for public K-12 schools and the Department of Education, recognizing the Department's vital role in supporting students with disabilities, low-income families, and English language learners. It affirms that federal investment in public education is crucial and should not be diverted to private schools through vouchers. The resolution condemns any actions that would defund public education, weaken the Department of Education, or shift education funding responsibilities to state and local governments.
Senate Resolution Backs Public K-12 Schools, Condemns Defunding Efforts and DOE Dismantling
This Senate resolution serves as a formal statement of support for the nation's public K-12 schools and the federal Department of Education (DOE). It explicitly acknowledges the DOE's role in channeling resources and support to millions of students, including those with disabilities (over 7.5 million), from low-income families (impacting over 51,000 schools), experiencing homelessness (nearly 1.4 million), and English language learners (over 5 million), among others. The core purpose is to affirm the value of public education and the federal infrastructure supporting it.
Standing Firm on Funding
The resolution puts the Senate on record strongly backing federal funding for public K-12 education. It emphasizes that this investment is crucial for school success and explicitly opposes diverting these public funds to private K-12 schools through voucher programs. Think of it as reinforcing the current system where federal dollars are primarily directed towards public institutions that serve the vast majority of students.
Defending the Department
Beyond funding, the resolution condemns any potential moves—whether through executive action or legislation—aimed at weakening the public education system. This includes specific actions like dismantling the DOE itself, eliminating or relocating major DOE offices, cutting federal education budgets, blocking significant federal education grants (like Title I for low-income schools or IDEA for students with disabilities), or pushing the financial burden of education entirely onto state and local governments. It's essentially drawing a protective circle around the DOE and the flow of federal aid to public schools, signaling opposition to drastic changes that could undermine established support structures for students and educators nationwide.