Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
President Donald Trump returns to office next year and has called to dismantle the Department of Education.
Getting rid of the federal department would likely take an act of Congress. Despite President Trump’s popularity and a Republican majority in both chambers, such drastic measures may prove less politically appealing to senators and representatives.
While a bulk of what the Department of Education funds and manages is higher education and the federal student loan program, it also funds impactful programs for K-12 public education.
The possibility of a loss in federal funding is something Swain County School District’s leadership is watching closely, as the district relies more heavily on federal funding than most. The reason is two-fold. One is because of the amount of federally held land within the county and limited local funding. Secondly, because Swain County has a lot of low-income and high needs students.
Nationally, federal funding accounts for about 14% of public school budgets, as reported by Associated Press. For Swain County, the amount is more than 22%, with just about 5% of its operating budget coming from the county itself.
Impact Aid
Impact Aid funding is among federal funds that are delivered through Department of Education.
Only about 13% of the county land is taxable, between land held federally including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Qualla Boundary. That’s where Impact Aid, a federally funded program to help with that loss, comes in, accounting for about 95% of the Swain County Schools local budget and 9% of the overall total budget for the district.
Unlike other programs, Impact Aid requires reauthorization annually by Congress. Swain County Schools Chief Finance Officer Stephanie Treadway is always watching and planning appropriately with caution.
“Our big concern is Impact Aid because it is reauthorized each year, and I always feel like it could be on the chopping block,” she said with some hesitation.
Impact Aid can be used like local funds in the budget. It goes to pay for operational expenses, such as the one-one technology program, as well as paying for salaries for several positions and helping pay for things like insurance.
Superintendent Mark Sale added the district is grateful NC Senator Thom Tillis has always been a proponent. Similarly, state Rep. Mike Clampitt and NC Senator Kevin Corbin have been supportive of the district.
“The uncertainty right now is troubling,” Sale said.
Title I and IDEA
Impact Aid isn’t the only federal education funding for Swain County Schools.
Swain Schools Executive Federal Programs Director Evan Clapsaddle said when he thinks of federal funding and any potential cuts to Department of Education, his mind goes to Title I and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
“The title programs date back to President Johnson and he wanted funding to go to students in vulnerable areas due to poverty,” he said.
The district funds several positions with this funding. As Clapsaddle explains, it allows the district to “enhance the educational experience” through things like smaller class sizes, more staff support, social and emotional training and even helping pay for beginning teacher support and professional development.
East, West and Swain Middle are all Title I schools. Some funds are also allocated to Bright Adventures Pre-K. Sale fears the Pre-K is one of the areas most at risk if Impact Aid and other federal funds were to diminish. Currently, there are about 1,800 students in Swain County schools and 75 students at the Pre-K.
“As far as IDEA goes, the funding might be diminished but the needs of our students are not,” Clapsaddle said. “We have a moral and legal obligation to fulfill needs for students of special needs. That could be with a $3,000 device to help them communicate, that could be transportation. We will still need to meet the needs of our kids.”
Sale added that since the pandemic, the district has seen increased needs among the student population.
“A loss of federal funding will impact students who have additional needs more than your student who would come to school ready to perform, because most of the federal money is going to students with additional needs,” Sale said. “It widens the gap even further between two groups. It increases that, in my opinion.”
Funding unknown
If the Trump Administration is successful in doing away with the department altogether, it becomes a question of whether the funding would also diminish, as no details have yet been released. On the campaign trail, Trump suggested states could take the education programs up.
Associated Press reports plans from The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, would send oversight for programs for children with disabilities and those from low-income families to the Department of Health and Human Services at first and then continually decrease federal funding to eventually become state grants.
If Swain Schools were faced with a reduction in federal funding, the concern is a reduction in services for those who need it most.
“it would mean we’d have to reduce our footprint somehow or money has to be made up from the state,” Sale said, adding he was reluctant to believe the current state legislature would put more into public education.