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SCHOOL EDUCATION IF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS EFFECTIVELY DISMANTLED? PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID HIS ADMINISTRATION’S GOAL IS TO RETURN EDUCATION BACK TO THE STATES. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT COULD IT LOOK LIKE? JILL UNDERLEE IS THE WISCONSIN STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO HOW MUCH OF EDUCATION ALREADY LIES WITH THE STATES AND HOW MUCH SORT OF LIES WITH THE FEDS, WITH EACH OF THE STATES THAT IS PART OF THEIR CONSTITUTION THAT THEY OVERSEE PUBLIC EDUCATION, THINGS LIKE CURRICULUM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THE ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVERSEES IS THIS BASELINE GUARANTEE THAT ALL KIDS ARE ARE GUARANTEED THIS ACCESS TO A FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION. SO IT’S A BASELINE OF EXPECTATIONS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE. SO IF THINGS SHIFT OVER TO MORE STATE CONTROL, WHICH IS WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID, THE GOAL IS. WHAT WORRIES YOU IF THAT FEDERAL FUNDING IS NOW SHIFTED TOWARDS THE STATES? IT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IT COULD BE A POTENTIAL MISUSE OF WHAT THE THE FUNDS WERE ORIGINALLY GUARANTEED FOR. SO IF THEY SAY, WE’RE GOING TO TAKE ALL THIS FUNDING THAT WAS INITIALLY TARGETED TOWARDS CERTAIN POPULATIONS, LITERACY PROGRAMS AND HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS, INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS AND PUT IT IN ONE GRANT TO THE THE STATE. THEY COULD PUT A STRINGS ATTACHED THAT SAY THAT THIS FUNDING HAS TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND PRIVATIZATION FOR FOR FAMILIES INSTEAD. AND IT MAY NOT REACH THE INTENDED RECIPIENTS AS IT HAD IN THE PAST. THERE SEEMED TO BE SPECIFIC AND PARTICULAR CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIAL EDITOR TITLE ONE FUNDING AND CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS. WHY IS THAT? IT’S REALLY THE IDEA BEHIND THOSE LAWS, LIKE IDEA, FOR EXAMPLE, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE PROVIDED THIS FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION, THAT THEY ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THEIR DISABILITY. AND THAT’S THE CONCERN IS IF THE OVERSIGHT FOR THAT IS GONE, WHERE WILL INDIVIDUALS BE ABLE TO APPEAL WHEN THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? AND THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS HANDLED IS THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS APPEALS FOR DISCRIMINATION, AND BEING ABLE TO SETTLE THOSE THOSE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID, WELL, IT’S ALL GOING TO EXIST STILL JUST GOING OFF INTO OTHER AREAS, RIGHT? THE DOJ WOULD HAVE A ROLE. PELL GRANTS WOULD GO UNDER THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. ET CETERA. IS THAT NOT A GOOD MODEL? WHEN IT WAS ALL CENTRALIZED AT THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WE KNEW WHERE TO GO. IT WAS A PRIORITY WHEN THOSE PROGRAMS ARE DISPERSED TO OTHER AGENCIES, CAN WE SAY THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WILL BE A PRIORITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE? CAN YOU SAY THAT HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING AND STUDENT LOANS WILL BE A PRIORITY? WE’RE ALSO LOSING THE EXPERTISE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND WE’RE LOSING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. SO THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CONCERNS. IS YOUR WORRY IN PART BECAUSE YOU THINK THE STATES WON’T BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE BUREAUCRACY? OR ARE YOU WORRIED BECAUSE OF SORT OF THE STATES ACTUALLY HANDING OVER THE MONEY EFFECTIVELY AND ACCURATELY? I’M ABSOLUTELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF THE STATES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP US WITH, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THE, YOU KNOW, THE GUIDANCE AND BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PROCESS OUR FUNDING CLAIMS. WE’RE ALREADY STRESSED WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR STATES HAVE. AND I THINK IT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY DISASTROUS FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ESPECIALLY KIDS. DOCTOR JILL UNDERLY IS WISCONSIN’S STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INST