In the wake of President Trump signing an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, valley Congressman Mike Rulli has announced he plans to introduce a bill to make it official.

Ohio Public School Districts are for the most part, by the property taxes, the state government and the federal government. The potential implications of the last part of that trifecta is a subject matter school leaders have brushed up on.

"Everything we're hearing from the potential dismantling of the department is that there will still be those funds it's what mechanism they'll be distributed," said Pete Pirone, superintendent of Struthers City Schools.

Federal programs like Title I are crucial to school districts with low-income families and disadvantaged students. 

A professor at the University of Washington says DOE staff were crucial to determining the allocation and monitoring of these funds, and that even a transition in those responsibilities would be anything but seamless.

"It rightfully should make taxpayers, school leaders and state lawmakers a little nervous until they can get a little clarity on how the heck these dollars are going to be allocated," added Dr. Matthew Gardner Kelly, an assistant professor at UW in Seattle.

School Choice Ohio issued 21 News their stance on the issue, saying in part;

"The US Department of Education administers much-needed federal programs and federally mandated civil rights protections for our country’s students in both public and nonpublic schools.  While School Choice Ohio is agnostic to which agency administers federal support for American students, we strongly support those important programs and related civil rights protections.

Ultimately it is the responsibility of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to oversee and administer the vast majority of education funding and laws for  Ohio students. "

Despite the executive order signed by President Trump, it would have to be approved by Congress first.

Here is the breakdown of federal dollars received by each school district:

 

 

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