PIERRE, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) – The South Dakota Education Association and the state Democratic Party criticized Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds’ proposal to eliminate the federal Department of Education, calling it a bad idea with potentially harmful effects for schools and students.
Rounds’ “Returning Education to Our States Act,” introduced Thursday, would eliminate the department and transfer about 25 of its programs to other federal agencies.
The South Dakota Education Association is the largest organization in the state representing education professionals, serving over 6,000 teachers, education support staff, retired educators and future teachers.
On Friday, the association’s president, Loren Paul, highlighted the federal department’s oversight of programs such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which he said are designed to support low-income and disabled children and are vital to their success and well-being.
“The U.S. Department of Education plays a crucial role in protecting our most vulnerable children, ensuring they receive the quality education they deserve,” Paul said in a written statement. “Transferring these programs to other departments would expose these children to bureaucracies where their specific needs are not the primary focus, leaving them vulnerable and underserved.”
Paul emphasized the need for a centralized federal agency to ensure equitable access to resources for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic or geographic backgrounds.
Rounds, in a phone call Friday with South Dakota Searchlight, responded to the criticism by saying his office is being deliberate about where to transfer programs if the department is abolished.
“We’ve taken extra time to take it program by program, putting many of them in the same departments they have come from,” Rounds said.
He alleged that housing the programs in the department since its creation in 1979 has not improved educational outcomes.
“We’ve literally been working on and trying to craft this for more than a year and a half so we would not harm those children,” he said.
South Dakota Democrats also condemned the legislation in a news release.
“Shifting responsibilities to another federal department will still require people to implement and manage these programs,” said Dan Ahlers, executive director of the state party. “The cost to operate these programs does not go away.”
Democrats said sending “education back to the states” would put it in the hands of a Republican Party that has not adequately funded it. South Dakota ranks 49th in average teacher pay, according to the National Education Association.
“It’s time for people like Senator Rounds to stop the pandering and grandstanding,” Ahlers said. “Stop making these uninformed and unsubstantiated comments about our schools, teachers and support staff. For once, maybe listen to our educators and their needs.”
Rounds said South Dakota officials, including the Legislature, are more accountable to their local constituents than federal employees.
“Our goal is to make sure that funding that comes from the federal government back to the states has fewer one-size-fits-all mandates,” Rounds said.
State Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, chimed in on social media, calling Rounds’ legislation “absurd.”
“The Dept. of Ed ensures equity in schools, funds low-income districts (Title I), provides financial aid, supports special ed (IDEA), enforces civil rights, collects key data, and sets standards,” Wittman wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “If cut, it will widen disparities and harm students nationwide.”
The Department of Education was established during the administration of Democratic President Jimmy Carter. Rounds alleged Thursday in a news release that the department’s budget has swollen ever since then without improving education.
“Local school boards and state departments of education know best what their students need, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.,” Rounds said Thursday.
Calls to eliminate the Department of Education have been boosted by Republican President-elect Donald Trump, who recently issued a statement supporting the idea when he announced his plan to nominate Linda McMahon for secretary of the department. McMahon is a decades-long executive with World Wrestling Entertainment and was the head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first presidency.
“We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort,” Trump said.
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