As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to assume office in January, the potential defunding of the Department of Education has sparked widespread discussion throughout the nation. While the students of North Penn were not alive to experience the start of the Department, they might very well witness its end. 

How could defunding the Department of Education affect our school funding? How will our schools change? Do we have any plans in case it does? These are some of the many questions that have floated in our minds over the past few weeks, but North Penn’s Chief Financial Officer Stephen Skrocki stands firm in his belief that our district will remain strong.

“I don’t see how the federal government can eliminate federal funds for school districts. It’s just not within the realm of possibility…We’ve had Republican administrations. We’ve had Democratic administrations. Trump was in the White House before. We haven’t really seen many changes before, so I’m really not expecting any changes moving forward,” Skrocki stated.  

While the Department of Education feels like an ancient decree, made alongside our founding fathers as they signed their names on the Declaration of Independence, this agency of the executive branch was surprisingly only created in 1979. Yet, no matter how relatively recent this aspect of our government is, there are many moving parts within its complex inner workings that are vital to many of North Penn’s core beliefs. 

To start off, arguably the most important job of the department of education is their designation of federal aid through Title 1. Two of the reasons North Penn is such a great school district is the fact that it is a melting pot of so many different people and that it provides so many opportunities to those who need it. Title 1 is part of this inclusivity as it gives state and federal funding to schools serving low-income families. 

“Public education is supposed to be a great equalizer, so it should not matter where you live in determining what kind of education you get. I think having Title 1 funding to help schools with lower economic status is key to helping make sure that there is a level playing field for our students. And that has always been our focus. We want to make sure that every student at North Penn feels safe and welcome in our school district and can have the best education possible,” North Penn School Board president Tina Stoll stated.

According to U.S News and World Report, around 34% of students in North Penn High School alone are considered “economically disadvantaged” with 33% benefitting from the free lunch program and 3% benefiting from the reduced price lunch program. But the high school isn’t the only school in North Penn that houses students who need financial aid. 

“We have a number of schools, and I’m probably not able to give the exact account right now, but it might be six elementary schools that are considered “Title 1 schools” based on the demographic makeup of the schools,” Skrocki explained. 

North Penn district is made up of eighteen schools, all of which are positively impacted by Title 1 programs. But how much money truly comes from this part of the Department of Education? 

“I think we bring in somewhere around 2 million dollars in Title 1 funds. That money helps enhance the instructional program and the curricular program for those buildings to try to raise the level of learning for children who might come  from an economically disadvantaged background,” Skrocki said. 

North Penn stands strong in its beliefs of diversity, inclusion, and individuality regardless of economic status. This fundamental principle will not go away, even if the Department of Education does. 

“If the federal government would defund Title 1, I’m certain that we, meaning the school district and the school board, would support the continuation of programs like Title 1 fund because they do help our students. You can’t say ‘oh we’re not going to help our disadvantaged students anymore’, that’s not what our district is about,” Skrocki stated. 

In general, federal funding is only roughly about 1% of North Penn’s total revenue. However, that seemingly meager 1% accounts for about $7.5 million. This money is then allocated towards many of North Penn schools’ services and programs. If North Penn were to lose this funding, the district would have to implement new programs to make up for the loss. 

“I think at the Pennsylvania level, depending on what the state mandates for us—like they might take over some of what the federal mandates are—we do have the option of just doing it on our own. However, I do think we’re in uncharted territory,” Stoll stated. 

North Penn is lucky, nevertheless, that federal funding is only a small percentage of its total revenue. Other schools can’t say the same. 

“Fortunately for North Penn, we don’t get quite as much federal funding as some other districts who are much more heavily reliant on it. Our money comes mostly from local sources,” Stoll said. 

The majority of North Penn’s total revenue (about 78% ) is generated by local funding from real estate taxes paid by homeowners and organizations. If indeed the Department of Education was given back to the states and the budget lost its federal funding, this money would be unaffected. 

“We are really blessed at North Penn because we have an excellent tax base made up of residential properties and commercial properties,” Skrocki commented.

Yet, where Skrocki believes North Penn’s budget money could benefit the most is not from federal funding at all. He believes that more funding from the state would make the greatest impact on our district. 

Seven years ago, the state of Pennsylvania changed the way they funded school districts. This new “funding formula for basic education” benefitted North Penn. However, as Skrocki explained, the problem was that only the new funds went through the new formula. All of the old money is still processed through the state’s old funding formula. 

“The long and short of it is, if 100% of the state’s basic education funding went through the new formula, North Penn would generate about another 7 million dollars in state revenue,” Skrocki said. 

If the state were to make the switch and flow all money through their new formula, the additional seven million dollars could replace the seven million the federal government gives to our district. This could be a potential solution if the department were to be taken away. And we need the money now more than ever. 

“We are embarking on the largest renovation project in Pennsylvania school history with the renovation of the high school. Our infrastructure needs are pretty immense, but even after we get done the high school, we have three middle schools that need renovation. There is a long list of items on our capital list that need to be done over the years,” Stoll stated. 

This massive renovation is a project that has been in the works for years. Taxpayer dollars are the main component in fueling this initiative, yet even that might be affected as Trump has strongly advocated for Universal School Choice in his campaign. This movement would take taxpayer money to fund charter and cyber schools, most of those being private schools. 

“I’m all for school choice, however, the charter schools play by a different set of rules in Pennsylvania at least than we do in North Penn School District. The amount of money they generate is way more than what they need to educate the students because, especially if it is a cyber student, they don’t really need buildings. They don’t need to maintain buildings and things like that. They’re basically overcharging taxpayers,” Skrocki said. 

“So what does that mean for North Penn? That remains to be seen. If we had a couple hundred fewer students at North Penn, I mean, that might mean potentially some reductions of programs or reduction of services—especially if it is taking away tax dollars from North Penn that would have otherwise come to us but are now going towards children that are going into a private school,” Skrocki added.

Over the years, education has blossomed into a way for children to become young adults. A path for students to learn more about the world around them and prepare them for the road ahead. Education is by far one of the most important aspects of our country. In a way, education is the basis of our future. 

“Public schools have become more responsible to help kids get through their educational experience. It’s not just reading and writing. It’s more than that. It’s teaching English as a Second Language or having access to mental health services. There’s a whole lot of things involved with public education that people often don’t realize or take for granted,” Stoll said.

The Department of Education is also in charge of handing out Pell Grants which are federal subsidies provided for students who need to pay for college. This includes the program many seniors are anxiously awaiting to fill out come December 1st: FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

“[F.A.F.S.A] is something that is set to help families pay for college, to let colleges understand what a family’s situation might be, and how they could financially afford college,” North Penn counselor and head of the Future Plans Center, Patrick Brett, stated. 

Gaining a higher education degree is the plan for many seniors at North Penn. The college process has already begun and students have already started to be accepted into their future schools. But imagine relying heavily on programs like FAFSA and being forced to look at other options because of one’s financial situation.  

“In my mind, everyone has the right to go to college. Should everyone go to college? No, not everyone is ready to go to college or a four year institution after high school. And not every career needs a four year degree. But, I know in my heart and my mind that everyone deserves the opportunity to go to college, and not just those who have the money to do it,” Brett said.

While it is hard to predict what the future will look like without this program, we have seen glimpses of a clue from the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, many schools were changing programs or shutting down completely. 

“If FAFSA goes away, I think colleges will be in trouble. I mean a couple years ago, during the pandemic, we saw a lot of mergers. A lot of schools merging with other schools, some closing, others going bankrupt. I could see that happening all over the country at an extreme rate if FAFSA disappears. Colleges are going to close and the education gap is going to get even larger, which is a massive issue for our country,” Brett stated. 

All of these factors could be affected in a future where the Department of Education is dismantled, but we must remember that it is just that—a potential future. No one knows for certain what will or will not happen to our district. It’s easy to give into the panic that has started to bubble beneath the surface, but our community should know that the board and district admin is ready to handle what comes down the road.  

“I’m an optimist by nature, and we have a really great administration. We have a board that is very pro-public education, and we work really well together. We will try our hardest to make sure to do the best we can in whatever challenges we might have in the next four years. I am very confident in that,” Stoll said.