WASHINGTON — On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education.
However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. Republicans said they will introduce legislation to achieve that, while Democrats have quickly lined up to oppose the idea.
The order says the education secretary will, “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities.”
It offers no detail on how that work will be carried out or where it will be targeted, though the White House said the agency will retain certain critical functions.
While the impacts remain in limbo, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has released a statewide heatmap of each school district, and its reflected percentage of federal funding.
“In Washington state, our Legislature has instituted civil rights protections for students above and beyond the federal minimum protections, and no order by the President will diminish our state’s obligation or moral imperative to serve and support all students,” Reykdal said.
According to the map, 10 districts across the state have between 30-40% of its funding from federal funds. The statewide average percentage received is 6.95% of federal funds for the 2023-24 school year. Data for this school year has not been released, and as it is the first school year under the new presidential administration, it’s unclear how the numbers compare.
The following districts that get the most federal funding are:
- Mount Adams School District | $8.8 million or 36.36% federal funding
- Cape Flattery School District | $5.47 million, or 34.27% of federal funding
- Queets-Clearwater School District | $570,430, or 37.40% of federal funding
- Taholah School District | $2.54 million or 38.06% of federal funding
- La Conner School District | $4.3 million or 30.48% of federal funding
- Oakville School District | $3.24 million or 35.39% of federal funding
- Wellpinit School District | $5.5 million or 40.38% of federal funding
- Nespelem School District | $3.08 million or 44.12% of federal funding
- Keller School District | $680,932 or 42.07% of federal funding
- Inchelium School District | $2.7 million or 40.28% of federal funding
“The federal funding data display shows federal funding as a percentage of total K–12 funding in the 2023–24 school year, with one-time federal emergency relief funds (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, American Rescue Plan funds, etc.) removed. School districts shown in green receive federal funds below the statewide average of 6.95%, while those shown in red receive federal funds above the statewide average. Hovering over each school district will show the district’s exact percentage, as well as their total federal funding and federal funding per student, with one-time federal funds removed,” OSPI said.
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