With the beginning of a new presidential administration just around the corner, many educators are questioning the future of educational programs. What policies can educators anticipate for PreK-12 education with the elected Trump administration? While only time can tell what changes will occur, here are initiatives currently being discussed among educators.
Upcoming budget proposal
It is expected that President Trump's first budget proposal will come out in the next few months to cover the 2018 federal fiscal year. This proposal will give educators a clearer understanding of what programs will be implemented, removed, or remain intact.
More support for School Choice?
As the new administration comes into office, the school grant program is the most talked about initiative starting out. This plan encourages states to allow parents, rather than government, to decide where their children should go to school through a grant program that uses federal vouchers allowing students to attend alternative schools—charter, private, magnet programs, or traditional public schools. Those who oppose school choice believe there is no indication that it would improve academic performance by allowing parents to choose alternative education for their children.
Will the Every Student Succeeds Act roll out?
The ESSA was first signed into law in December 2015 and the Obama administration set the first deadline to roll out in April of this year. ESSA is supposed to take full effect for the 2017-2018 school year and was initially designed to give disadvantaged children better access to education and hold them to a high academic standard that is meant to prepare them for college. Those who oppose this initiative argue that it should not be a federal act, but that the issue needs to be authorized by state lawmakers who should have more authority over state education policies.
While the future for ESSA is not completely known, preliminary predictions suggest that the April ESSA deadline could shift with the new administration and that ESSA may be revised to fit the new administration's agenda.
The future of education
The conversation about education under the Trump administration is only just beginning and many educators believe that the Trump administration will lean towards transferring more control back to state and local governments to make education decisions. Many educators are waiting to see how Trump's nominee for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, will approach public school funding and education reform.
There is plenty of uncertainty that comes when a new president is elected and it will take time to fully understand what education initiatives and programs will unfold on a national and statewide level.
