Times of uncertainty in K–12 education: 3 takeaways for district leaders

Editor’s note: This is a topic that is changing every day. The information shared in this post is based on the author’s thoughts as of the date of posting.

You’re probably familiar with the saying that “the only constant in life is change.” This is certainly true in K–12 education, where school and district leaders are constantly responding to changes in policy, staffing, testing procedures, safety requirements, and more.

Let’s step back to look at the events since March 20. The March 20 Executive Order aimed at closing the US Department of Education understandably raised questions from education leaders, teachers, staff, and families, including:

• Does the President truly have the authority to close the Department of Education?
• How will the order impact school funding, particularly federal Title I funds?
• Will programs that support at-risk students, students with special needs, and multilingual learners be affected?
• Will initiatives aimed at improving students’ reading and math skills—especially in the early grades—be eliminated?

In my role at Renaissance, I regularly meet with state and district leaders to discuss educational policy and the important work they do each day to support their schools, their teachers, and their students. In this blog, I’ll share three key takeaways from recent conversations.

Takeaway 1: In K–12 education, focus on reality, not headlines

In our era of the 24-hour news cycle and social media algorithms, we’re exposed to a number of attention-grabbing headlines throughout the day. And we know that the more sensational the headline, the more clicks and views (and advertising dollars) the publisher receives.

But headlines are not necessarily reality, nor are they solid predictors of the future. In thinking about the March 20 Executive Order, I’d advise education leaders to focus on what’s actually possible.

To this end, let’s consider the language of section 2, paragraph (a) of the Executive Order:

Closing the Department of Education and Returning Authority to the States. (a) The Secretary of Education shall, 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 while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

In the context of attention-grabbing headlines, two statements stand out here:

“Appropriate and permitted by law”

As many commentators have pointed out, the Department of Education was established by Congress, meaning that the department can only be eliminated through Congressional action. “Congress, not the president, determines whether a Cabinet-level agency can be dissolved,” Education Week noted, adding that “the department’s responsibilities are laid out in statute that only Congress can change.”

It’s worth adding that Congressional action to eliminate the Department of Education would require not only a majority in both houses but a filibuster-proof supermajority in the US senate.

“Return authority over education to the States”

Authority over K–12 schools has always been with the states. As Brookings recently pointed out, “federal law explicitly prohibits the federal government from exerting control over school curriculum, operations, or staffing.”

We see evidence of each state’s control over education all the time in the form of:

• State academic standards
• State-specific assessments and testing requirements
• State-wide curriculum adoptions
• State licensure of teachers

Once again, reality matters—which brings us to the second takeaway.

Takeaway 2: Title I and key K–12 school funding is unchanged

Far from eliminating federal funding for K–12 education, the March 20 Executive Order charges the Secretary of Education with “ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” When signing the order, President Trump remarked that Title 1 funding and funding for students with disabilities would be “preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments.”

This funding had, in fact, already been appropriated by Congress at the time the President was speaking. The March 14 continuing resolution—which funds the federal government through September 30—included funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels for:

• IDEA, to support students with disabilities and special education needs
• Title I, to support students in high-poverty schools
• Title IV-A, to support academic achievement and enrichment
• REAP, to support students in rural schools

In the March 31 letter from the Department of Education, state leaders were reminded that federal funds can be used to support elementary and secondary educational choice initiatives. State leaders were also informed that the March 31 letter will be the first of several guidance documents aimed at expanding education choice for students and families.

Granted, there is a lot of speculation around federal funds at the moment, especially for Title I. Will the formula for distributing Title I funds to the states be changing? Will the funds be distributed via block grants instead of the current formula? I’m not sure, and there are many steps that need to take place before those decisions are made and finalized. I know that Congressional action will be required for any funding change, which brings me to the final takeaway.

Takeaway 3: Continue to implement your state’s reading and math initiatives

According to Pew Research, the federal government provides roughly 13.6 percent of the total funding for K–12 public schools. This means that the states already provide the vast majority of school funding and—as noted earlier—also set academic standards, curriculum, teacher licensure requirements, and more.

As part of this authority, states have implemented a variety of initiatives in recent years to improve students’ reading and math performance, especially in the early grades. These initiatives often employ a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework focused on both academic and non-academic factors that influence learning.

In K–3 literacy, for example, these initiatives often include:

1. Seasonal screening to identify reading difficulties—including dyslexia—using a state-approved universal screening tool.
2. High-quality instructional materials (HQIM), with a curriculum chosen from a state-approved list.
3. Evidence-based interventions, with regular progress monitoring to determine rate of improvement.
4. Literacy coaches and other reading specialists to work directly with struggling and at-risk students.
5. Non-academic screening and supports, including mental health services.
6. Ongoing professional development for teachers, particularly around the Science of Reading.

These initiatives are already making an impact, particularly in states such as Mississippi and Louisiana that have embraced the Science of Reading and are investing heavily in teacher professional development around early literacy.

As a result, state policy makers are increasingly turning their attention to math as well, looking to implement or strengthen similar systems of universal screening, high-quality instructional materials, and differentiated support around early numeracy and elementary mathematics.

In this context, I’d once again encourage school and district leaders to continue their focus on the good work their educators are doing every day, particularly with regard to essential literacy and math skills. Data are showing these efforts are succeeding.

Maintaining our commitment to educators, students, and communities

Having said all of this, I can’t predict the future, and clearly many open questions remain. Even as this blog was in development, we saw the March 28 letter indicating a change in ESSER extension funds distribution. I know state education leaders and education influencers are deciding how to respond to this action, and more information will become available in the days ahead. This includes the letter from the US Department of Education dated April 3, which outlines the steps states can take to request re-approval of the ESSER extension funds.

I’m confident that school and district leaders in all 50 states are focusing on teaching their students, supporting their educators, and partnering with members of their communities to produce the best outcomes. And I can assure you that Renaissance will remain your trusted partner for assessment, instruction, and practice solutions to help move learning forward.

I also invite you to explore our funding resources, including information about our products’ alignment with specific federal funding streams. For the latest news and information related to policy and school funding in your state, be sure to visit your state department of education’s website as well.