“We’ve just gotten to a point that we just can’t keep going along doing what we’re doing,” McMahon said. “Let’s shake it up. Let’s do something different.”
While the National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 90 percent of public school budgets come from state and local sources already, the shakeup involves pushing federal budget priorities and responsibilities — primarily distributing financial aid, collecting education data and enforcing civil rights statutes — to the state level, as well.
However, much of the conversation with McMahon focused on what wouldn’t change. McMahon assured event attendees that Title I funds and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly known as The Nation’s Report Card, weren’t going away, though she said she would scrutinize them.
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION STATISTICS
McMahon promised attendees at ASU+GSV that ED will look for ways to revamp the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) following a 90 percent reduction in staff last month, dropping from 170 to 20.
“IES is what keeps us honest, because it’s comparing apples to apples everywhere,” she said. “And NAEP is something that we absolutely need to keep because we do have to compare those apples to apples. If we don’t, states can be a little manipulative with their own results and their own testing.”
She said that in this revamping process, some states will inevitably perform better than others, and technology could play a role in remedying those outcome disparities.
“As we pull down that bureaucracy, there could be gaps and holes that we need you to fill,” McMahon said to technology professionals in the room. “I would like to work with you and understand more of that.”
TITLE I
Title I funding, which benefits schools with many low-income students, was the target of a letter from ED to state leaders last week. The letter said Title I funding is conditional on compliance with non-discrimination policies, which now forbid certain diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
McMahon said Title I funding is not going away but might shift to a different agency.
Project 2025, a plan which President Donald Trump and his administration distanced themselves from on the campaign trail but which aligns with many policies emerging post-election, proposes moving Title I to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is experiencing similar changes. In the last two weeks, HHS announced plans to reduce its staff from 82,000 to 62,000 and cut spending contracts across the board by 35 percent.
“Title I funding, [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)] funding, the Pell Grants — they’re not looking to be taken away, because we understand that the funding is the good portion,” McMahon said Wednesday.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
McMahon offered few specifics on what DEI work schools are permitted to do and still remain eligible for Title I or other federal funding sources.
When asked to expand on the letter to K-12 state leaders, McMahon said everyone should be treated equally, and states will need to hone in on their budgeting process to ensure that. As for specific programming that is in or out, she said inclusion is the goal.
“I really believe cultural celebrations like Black History Month are not just about Blacks. It’s about our history and our country,” she said. “And if we're having, you know, an Asian American group, well, it shouldn't just be Asian Americans. We should welcome everyone to come in and learn about that history and that diversity.”
McMahon said there are no plans to reduce funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and hopes to visit more schools in the HBCU system.
“Some of the most successful and accomplished graduates that are coming out of HBCUs are other ethnicities other than Black, and I think that's a real testament to show about that inclusion effort,” she said.
TECHNOLOGY AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION
McMahon said workforce education should be a guidepost for education improvements. She said technology will be key, but schools may need to strike a balance with going back to basics — reading and multiplication tables, for example — while they incorporate tech into lessons.
She asked the ed-tech sector to continue sharing knowledge and investing.
“It wasn't all that long ago that [we were hearing], 'We're going to have Internet in our schools.' Now, OK, let’s see [AI], and how can that be helpful?” she said. “Those are the kinds of things and innovations that I want to see continue to develop.”
