President-elect Donald Trump is poised to push for a major overhaul of the federal government’s role in K-12 education when he takes office on Jan. 20.
Trump, and conservative policymakers more broadly, say they want to shift much of the federal responsibility for K-12 school funding to state and local governments.
That could mean slashing federal spending, expanding private school choice, and potentially even eliminating the federal Department of Education.
The incoming administration’s plans haven’t fully taken shape. Many of the more controversial proposals will face substantial political obstacles. And some observers have noted that, despite Trump’s fiery rhetoric, federal funding for K-12 schools stayed flat during his first presidency.
Even so, districts are already bracing for possible funding cuts and a new nationwide landscape of federal policy.
Here are three key school finance themes Education Week will be following in the months ahead.
