s the Trump administration prepares to retake the reins, Pennsylvania’s education system faces significant uncertainty. Federal education policies could bring sweeping changes that would directly impact schools, teachers, and students across the state. Here’s a breakdown of what might lie ahead based on Trump’s record and stated priorities.

A Push to Dismantle the Department of Education

For decades, conservative policymakers have sought to abolish the Department of Education. Trump’s administration is likely to revive these efforts, with support from initiatives like Sen. Mike Rounds’ bill and Project 2025. However, eliminating the department is not as straightforward as it sounds. Key education programs, such as Title I (support for low-income schools) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), predate the department’s creation. These programs could be transferred to other federal agencies or converted into block grants controlled by states.

For Pennsylvania, this shift would be seismic. Title I and IDEA collectively deliver billions of dollars to schools, helping students with disabilities and those in underserved areas. Without these targeted federal funds, critical resources could be lost or redirected to initiatives like private school vouchers. In 2020, Pennsylvania received $445 million in federal education funding, with districts like Philadelphia, Reading, and Scranton heavily reliant on these resources.

The Culture Wars Enter the Classroom

Trump’s campaign promises also include wielding federal funds to influence local education policies, especially on contentious cultural issues. Proposed restrictions on funding for schools that teach “critical race theory” or support transgender students, mask mandates, or vaccine requirements echo similar strategies used by past administrations to enforce compliance with federal education standards.

However, there’s a catch: these levers of control depend on maintaining federal oversight through programs like Title I, which Trump has also pledged to eliminate. This contradiction raises questions about how such policies could be enforced without the department’s infrastructure.

The Return of School Vouchers

National voucher programs, long championed by Trump ally Betsy DeVos, could also see renewed momentum. Voucher systems, including Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), allow public funds to subsidize private and religious school tuition. Critics argue that these programs exacerbate inequities, divert resources from public schools, and lack accountability.

For Pennsylvania, expanded voucher programs could further undermine public education, especially in rural and urban districts already struggling with funding challenges. Research consistently shows that voucher programs do not improve student outcomes and often enable the rise of poorly regulated private schools.

A Cloudy Future for Pennsylvania Education

Trump’s education policy proposals reflect a mix of longstanding conservative goals and new culture war priorities. While dismantling the Department of Education remains unlikely due to legislative hurdles, block grants, school vouchers, and federal interventions in local education could significantly reshape the landscape.

For Pennsylvania, these changes could mean less federal support for low-income and special-needs students, heightened culture war tensions in schools, and increased reliance on state and local leadership to address funding inequities.

Now, more than ever, Pennsylvanians must stay vigilant about education policies at both the federal and state levels. The stakes are high, and the decisions made in Washington could profoundly impact the future of our schools and communities.