Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed cautious optimism following former President Donald Trump’s executive order to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The order, signed Thursday, sets in motion a process that would require congressional approval to determine the redistribution of federal education funds.
DeWine, who attended the signing event at Trump’s invitation, spoke about the potential benefits of streamlining federal education funding. “If you look from a governor’s point of view, the most important thing is for some of the bureaucracy and the red tape to be eliminated so that the dollars that are coming back from the federal government — that we can more efficiently, more effectively utilize them here in the state of Ohio,” DeWine said Friday.
Concerns Over Federal Funding Cuts
For Kia Woodward, education is deeply personal. Coming from a family with a long history in public schooling, she worries about how the federal cuts could impact students like her daughter, Kylie, a high school junior aspiring to become an attorney. Kylie is applying for a Pell Grant to help finance her college education.
“We’re not independently wealthy,” Woodward said. “I just think it’s gonna be twice as hard for her.”
The federal government currently provides Ohio schools with approximately $1.5 billion in funding, including $910 million in Pell Grants for underprivileged students. Programs like Title I, which supports low-income and special-needs families, rely heavily on these funds. Trump’s decision to dismantle the Department of Education has left many uncertain about the future of these programs.
“We’re going to be returning education very simply back to the states where it belongs,” Trump stated at a press conference. “We’re going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible.”
DeWine’s Stance on State Control
Trump emphasized that states should have control over education policy, even acknowledging DeWine, who often takes a more moderate stance within the Republican Party. DeWine reiterated his commitment to ensuring Ohio manages its educational funding efficiently.
“The most important thing for me is the ability for Ohio to deal with Ohio’s challenges that are unique to Ohio,” he said. When pressed on whether he would take the same course of action as president, DeWine sidestepped the question, stating, “I’m not the president, so I can’t answer that.”
DeWine admitted that much remains unknown about the executive order’s impact. “I’m sure every governor of every state probably has the same attitude — what we don’t know is a lot of things,” he said. “We don’t know — will the amount stay the same? We don’t know whether it will come back in any kind of different form.”
However, he assured that if Ohio receives federal funds, programs like Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will remain priorities. “I certainly believe that Title I, for example, which is focused on our most poorest children — if we are given that money, we’re certainly gonna focus on those children,” DeWine said. “Children with a disability, we’re certainly gonna focus on them as well.”
DeWine also acknowledged potential conditions attached to any redirected funding. “As you know, a very high priority of mine, as governor — education, the most important thing we can do,” he said. “Our goal is for every Ohioan to be able to live up to their God-given potential, which means removing barriers such as health challenges but also means making sure that every person is well educated and has all the opportunities so they can live up to their full potential.” Still, he emphasized his advocacy for maintaining full federal funding. “The amount of money coming back from the federal government, again, we hope that is not cut,” he stated.
Debate Over Public vs. Private School Funding
Woodward, who previously believed DeWine would safeguard public school funding, expressed concerns over his budget decisions. His administration has proposed a $100 million cut to public school funding while allocating $500 million toward private school vouchers, commonly referred to as “school choice.”
Last year, Ohio GOP leaders redirected approximately $1 billion in public funds to private schools. House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has suggested cutting at least $650 million from public education in the upcoming budget cycle, arguing that private institutions offer superior education options.
Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon are focusing on expanding school choice, allowing federal funds to be used for private and faith-based education. When asked about ensuring federal dollars support public education, DeWine remained noncommittal. “Well, first of all, we’ll have to see what the president does, we’ll have to see what Congress does,” he said. “I can just assure you that if these are dollars that are supposed to be for education, we will use every penny for education. That will not be a problem with this government.”
Reporters pressed DeWine on the potential dual impact of federal and state-level cuts. “Speaker Huffman has indicated that he wants to move forward with giving more money to private schools,” a reporter noted. “How are public schools going to move forward with this?”
DeWine encouraged citizens to engage with lawmakers. “This is now a time for people to weigh in with their legislators,” he said. “We believe in the state, in parents being the best teachers… But it’s always a balance. It’s always a balance, how much money goes into the vouchers, how much money goes into the public schools.”
Parental Concerns About the Future
Woodward remains skeptical about lawmakers’ commitment to public education. “Do you trust the lawmakers to give money to public schools?” a reporter asked. “I would say no,” she replied. “I don’t trust that they’ll be fair with a pot of money.”
Despite Trump’s assurances that Pell Grants will still be available, Woodward fears for her daughter’s future. “Every parent wants the next generation to do better and have a better time than they had, and I feel like it’s gonna be 10 times worse for her,” she said. “That’s what makes me very sad and scared and frightened because it’s not fair.”
Through tears, she added, “I feel like I’ve let her down somehow in my generation because this shouldn’t be happening in this country.” Her only hope, she said, is that the next four years will pass quickly.