Bill Overview
Title: To abolish the Department of Education and to provide funding directly to States for elementary and secondary education, and for other purposes.
Description: This bill abolishes the Department of Education and terminates any applicable program for which it has administrative responsibility, except for the Federal Pell Grant Program and the Federal Direct Loan Program. The bill transfers administrative responsibility for these programs to the Department of the Treasury. The bill also directs Treasury to make allocations to states to support elementary and secondary education.
Sponsors: Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1]
Target Audience
Population: people relying on national and state-level education systems worldwide
Estimated Size: 55000000
- The Department of Education has a broad impact on the entire U.S. population as it administers federal funding and policies for education in the country.
- The bill will impact students in elementary and secondary education across the United States, as the funding and administrative responsibilities will be transferred to the states.
- Teachers and school administrators will be affected due to changes in how funding is administered and potentially how schools will be regulated at the federal level.
- State governments will need to adjust to receiving and managing education funds directly from the Treasury rather than through the Department of Education.
- The administrative change might affect federal employees working at the Department of Education, who may face job reassignment or termination.
Reasoning
- Estimating the impact of eliminating the Department of Education on various individuals in the U.S. involves considering diverse stakeholders like students, teachers, state education departments, and federal employees.
- For students, the immediate impact may be minimal, but changes in funding and administration could lead to varied educational quality depending on state management.
- Teachers might face changes in curriculum requirements or resources, impacting job satisfaction and perceived effectiveness.
- State governments will need to manage new financial and administrative responsibilities, possibly facing initial challenges and needing infrastructure adjustment.
- Federal employees at the Department of Education may need to find new roles, possibly in different departments or sectors.
- Overall population distribution for interviews will consider different roles and regions—urban vs. rural, low-income vs. high-income areas, and varying school sizes.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Worried about resource availability for school projects.
- Uncertain if extracurricular activities will receive adequate funding.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Public School Teacher (Houston, TX)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Concerned about changes to curriculum standards and teaching resources.
- Uncertain about new state guidelines.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
State Education Department Employee (Albany, NY)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anticipating initial workflow hiccups as we transition to new funding structures.
- Hopeful that state autonomy will improve educational outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
School Principal (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Concerned that reduced federal oversight will lead to inequities between wealthy and impoverished districts.
- Optimistic about more local control over education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Federal Education Program Administrator (Miami, FL)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Uncertainty over job security and role in new administrative structure.
- Concerned for colleagues who might face termination.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
College Professor (Boston, MA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Believes decentralization could lead to experiments in educational innovation.
- Acknowledges risks of uneven policy implementation across states.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Parent and Volunteer PTA President (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Concerned that state management might not prioritize children's needs uniformly.
- Advocates for more parental involvement in decision-making processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
College Student, Aspiring Teacher (Denver, CO)
Age: 25 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Worried about entering a teaching profession during administrative upheavals.
- Hopeful that Pell and Direct Loan programs remain stable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
State Legislator (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Sees potential to tailor education policies to state needs more effectively.
- Concerned about creating equitable funding across diverse districts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired Teacher (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Skeptical of state's ability to manage educational resources efficiently.
- Worries about long-term changes impacting future generations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1200000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1600000000)
Year 2: $600000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $900000000)
Year 3: $300000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $500000000)
Year 5: $200000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $400000000)
Year 10: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $300000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $200000000)
Key Considerations
- The transition of federal programs to the states could lead to substantial variation in educational quality across states, depending on individual state efficiency and resource allocation.
- Without federal oversight, there might be an increased risk of disparity in educational opportunities and equity.
- States might require assistance or an incentivized framework to undergo successful transitions and minimize disruptions to students and educators.