My Views Are My Own
By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S.
2/25/2025
If you ask me about literacy, I can speak easily and confidently all day long. If you ask me about politics, I usually have some research to do. With everything happening at the national level, I have been doing all I can to stay informed about the U.S. Department of Education as well as the Nebraska Department of Education.
With a new administration, comes a new Secretary of Education. Did you know that “just four secretaries of education had K-12 teaching or administrative experience on their resumes,” according to Edweek. That seems crazy to me until I start thinking about the fact that I have met very few top paid education administrators who have ever taught a child to read. I think this is a fine time to learn more about the position of Education Secretary.
“The Secretary of Education leads the Department and promotes public understanding of the Department's mission, goals and objectives. The Secretary is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.” The current administration has made their intent clear to expand local control of education by directing the Department of Education “to issue guidance on how the States can use federal funding formulas to support their K-12 scholarship programs.” This would allow each state to meet the needs of their students as we know that needs are not the same when we compare states like California or New York to Nebraska.
The US Department of Education was established in 1979 under the Carter administration. Since that time, spending has skyrocketed (2024 budget of $238 billion, up from $14 billion when it was established in 1979) while academic proficiency rates have declined. According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), “the Department of Education spent $268 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024...the department ranked sixth among federal agencies in total spending.”
What does all of this mean for US education? It means that there is far more to unpack than what can be discussed in a two-minute blog post. While there are concerns regarding the trajectory of education in America, it is crucial that we delve into the impact the US Department of Education has had on the academic proficiency rates and what can be done at the state level to ensure success for all kids.
The Trump administration has nominated Linda McMahon as the secretary of education; “she pledged to preserve federal Title I money for low-income schools, Pell grants for low-income college students and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, all of which were created by Congress.” You can view her Education Secretary confirmation hearing in its entirety here or her opening statements here if your time is limited. It is also helpful to listen to the opening statements from Senator Cassidy from Louisiana here to learn more about the position. Stay tuned for future posts on these topics.
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