1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing in support of the Department of Education Protection Act, H.R.433, to prohibit funds made available to the Department of Education by previous Appropriations Acts from being used for any activity relating to implementing a reorganization of the Department, and for other purposes. Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education puts billions in school funding, special education programs, and mechanisms for policy enforcement at risk. If Congress does not act quickly, students and educators across the country will suffer devastating consequences. While the amount of federal P-12 education funding provided is much less than that supplied by states and localities, federal programs include those within ESSA Title I, II, III, and IV, all of which are vital in supporting students from low-income backgrounds, developing and training educators, and providing resources for English learners, alongside other traditionally underserved students. Furthermore, without the USDOE, students with disabilities will not be ensured the supports they need, student civil rights will not be protected, and essential resources and supports will not be allocated due to the lack of performance data that provides school accountability. As a supporter of public education, I ask you to: - Publicly oppose any budget cuts to public education funding - Vote in favor of the Department of Education Protection Act (H.R. 433) - Use every lever available, from public statements to floor speeches to committee work to sustain federal supports for public education. This is an emergency, and we need every elected official to take a stand for our children, their future, and our country's future. Eliminating a central hub of expertise and fracturing the administration of related programs over several other agencies is designed to make them less effective for students and families and hinder cooperation and efficiency between civil servants, states, districts, schools, and colleges and universities. It also puts responsibilities on other agencies who don’t have expertise in those areas, have their own goals and priorities, and provides zero extra funding for hiring, training, or other important planning steps, let alone actual administrative action. I urge you to support the Department of Education Protection Act, and to give it your vote when it comes up for consideration. Thank you.