23% of HISD budget is federal funding. Here's how Department of Education cuts could impact it
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Department of Education, or DOE, has many duties, but at its core, it works to ensure students have equal access to education.
"Making sure that we as a nation are providing all that students need to succeed and then also monitor how they're doing as a nation," Ruth Lopez Turley, director of urban research at the Kinder Institute, said.
But with 1,300 employees cut from the DOE, and a push from the Trump administration to dissolve the department completely, there are serious concerns.
First, this move could impact how quickly money ends up in your school district.
Currently, the DOE sends money to states, which the state distributes according to federal guidelines. Federal money funds programs like free and reduced meals and brings resources to low-income, disabled, and special-needs students.
ABC News data found that, on average, states get 14% of their funding from the DOE, but Houston ISD gets 23%, almost a quarter of their funding. With fewer federal employees, that money could take longer to get to Texas.
RELATED: Houston teachers' union concerned about Department of Education cuts
"It will have huge implications on how they will be able to, whether they will be able to continue their role in making sure there is excellence in education nationwide, protecting equity and civil rights of our students," Turley said.
If the department were dissolved entirely, federal standards for a fair and equal education regardless of race, gender, or income would no longer apply.
"This has huge implications not just for those groups but for all of us because we're all in this together. This is our future workforce. This has huge implications on our economy," Turley said.
ABC13 reached out to HISD, the largest school district in the state, to learn how this could impact students who rely on federal dollars. All we got back was an automatic response saying it was spring break and no one was in the office.
It's worth noting that just on Thursday, a federal judge ordered that fired federal workers, including those at the DOE, be reinstated-- a clear sign that this battle is far from over.
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SEE ALSO: What is the Department of Education? Here's a look at some of its key functions
