What’s Happening:
An executive order and a reintroduced bill, H.R. 899, aim to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DoE) entirely. While the executive order resulted in massive employment cuts of nearly 50%, and funding redirects, the department can only be dismantled through an act of Congress.
Eliminating the DoE would have a devastating impact nationwide – shuttering programs that serve Native students with disabilities, low-income families, Tribal communities, and first-generation college-goers.
Why It Matters:
For Native students, this threat is deeply personal. The Department of Education plays a vital role in all of the following:
- Funding Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs): Through Title III and Title V programs, the DoE supports TCUs in developing academic programs, enhancing student services, and strengthening infrastructure.
- Pell Grants and Federal Student Aid: Thousands of Native students rely on Pell Grants and subsidized loans to afford higher education.
- Work-Study and Retention Programs: These programs provide not just financial support, but critical campus jobs that keep students enrolled.
- Support for K-12 Native Youth: From early childhood programs to high school readiness grants, the DoE supports Native youth through initiatives like Indian Education Grants under Title VI.
- Civil Rights Protections: The DoE’s Office for Civil Rights investigates discrimination complaints in schools – including those involving Native students.
Dismantling the Department of Education would rescind commitments made through treaties and eliminate resources that help Native students get to college, stay in school, and graduate with dignity.
We can still stop this – but only if we speak out.
What You Can Do About It:
- Visit usa.gov to find your representatives.
- Call your elected officials and ask them to oppose H.R. 899 and any effort to dismantle the Department of Education.
- Tell them you support public education – and that Native students deserve equal opportunity and protection.
Here’s a sample script to get you started:
I am calling because I want (name of elected official) to strongly oppose H.R. 899 to dismantle the Department of Education. It is crucial that our elected officials stand firm against this executive overreach and protect the Department’s vital programs and protections for students of all ages and backgrounds, in particular, Native American Students, who are already starting their education at a disadvantage. Our nation’s future depends on all its citizens having the opportunity to receive a quality education.
From all of us at the American Indian College Fund: thank you for raising your voice and standing with Native students and Native Communities. This is what allyship looks like.
