On behalf of the National Parents Union, representing 1.7 million parents, families and caregivers nationwide, we write to express our deep concern and strong opposition to recent proposals to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. Eliminating the Department will have catastrophic and destabilizing consequences for millions of students, particularly those from historically underserved communities, and would create chaos in our education system at a time when stability and accountability are more critical than ever.
The U.S. Department of Education plays an indispensable role in safeguarding the future of our children. It provides essential funding, critical oversight, and protections for children with disabilities that ensure all students— regardless of background—have access to a high-quality education.
Without the Department’s coordination and oversight, federal K-12 funding would become fragmented and unpredictable, threatening the education of over 100,000 public schools across the country. The financial impact would be staggering:
Dismantling the Department of Education will throw our schools, families, and communities into chaos. Without it, there will be limited accountability for how federal funds are spent, no oversight to ensure all children receive a fair education, and no federal support for school improvement and our nation’s literacy crisis. Additionally, parents use federal data to exercise school choice, without timely and accurate data, parents are not able to make the best decision for their child and family.
A majority of the American public do not support closing the department. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 65% of Americans oppose closing the Department of Education. Federal aid, which primarily supports low-income schools and students with special needs, accounts for 15% of K-12 funding in Republican-leaning states compared to 11% in Democratic-leaning states, according to a Reuters analysis of Census Bureau data. Dismantling the Department would not only defund critical programs but also destabilize the very foundation of our education system, leaving parents without recourse when schools fail their children.
Additionally, eliminating the Department would leave the United States flying blind in global competitiveness, weakening our economic future and national security. Without national standards and accountability, there would be no way to measure how our students compare to those in China, India, or Europe—nations that are rapidly advancing in STEM, AI, and workforce readiness. This puts our businesses at risk of talent shortages, our military at risk of unprepared recruits, and our country at risk of falling behind in the global economy. The consequences of failing to monitor and invest in our education system as a strategic national asset would be devastating for both our economic interests and our security as a nation.
The elimination of the Department of Education would undermine critical supports that millions of families rely on. We strongly urge you to protect the fundamental mission of ensuring equal educational opportunity for all students and to oppose any effort to dismantle the Department and create instability in our education system.
Ariel Taylor Smith | [email protected]
Senior Director of the NPU Center for Policy and Action
www.nationalparentsunion.org
View the PDF here: Congress Opposition to Eliminate the U.S. Department of Education