MONTGOMERY — Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey was cautiously optimistic on Thursday morning after the state could not withdraw nearly $9 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday.
The federal Education Department has been under the Trump administration's scrutiny. After the appointment of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the agency announced Tuesday that it would be cutting nearly half of its workforce, in keeping with Trump's agenda to significantly downsize or abolish the department altogether.
A Trump executive order is rumored to drop in the coming days. According to the Wall Street Journal, the draft of Trump's executive order would instruct McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure" of the DOE while operating to "the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law."
Apparently, due to the layoffs, ALSDE was unable to withdraw $8.9 million in funds from the Education Department's portal on Wednesday morning and subsequently was unable to reach Education Department officials for help. According to Mackey, the portal reopened later that afternoon and they were able to draw the money. He also confirmed that the treasury showed that the money had officially been deposited.
"We had about $8.9 million in our draw for yesterday," Mackey said. "When our folks went in, the portal simply didn't work. It was completely shut down, and then there was a message that said that, due to the reduction in federal labor force, it would be a very long wait at the help desk. And, of course, the Department of Education was closed; there was no one to call. So we could not get any assistance for several hours. About 2:00 yesterday afternoon, it did reopen, and we were able to pull down our money. Now, we'll know today about lunchtime whether we actually got the money."
While he was confident that ALSDE would experience no further issues, Mackey emphasized the untenability of having long-term losses of federal funds.
"We are a reimbursement system," Mackey said. "Our districts spend the money, and then they turn in to us that they spent this money. Primarily the money, by the way, that we're drawing down this for special education and Title I teachers' salaries, so they've already even paid last month. This is reimbursement. We obviously can float that for a day or two. It's not a problem. If it were to go on for many days or a quarter, that would be a serious problem for the state because we do draw down about a little over half a billion dollars in federal funds every year. Mostly for special education or IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] and Title I [Funding for low-income students], but also, there were some other things in that draw, some Title III money, I think, which supports English language learners. So, we're hopeful that it's been resolved, and we won't have any more issues."
Mackey also emphasized that parents and teachers would not experience any disruptions, noting that the teachers' salaries had been paid and that the federal funds were to reimburse the states. He also said he wanted the federal Education Department to be more available to state departments in light of the cutbacks temporarily affecting funding.
"I certainly believe that it's a state government that has the most responsibility for education, and we know that; we take that very seriously, and we're going to continue to serve our students," Mackey said. "Whatever happens in Washington, but we do depend on about 10% of our school funding from Washington, so we need that money to flow on a regular basis."
Mackey went on to say that the state has not officially lost any education funding but has lost $16 million in USDA funding to provide farm-fresh produce to schools.
"There is a possibility we could see it change some menus here between now and the end of the school year," Mackey continued. "Again, it doesn't mean kids won't be fed. Doesn't mean they won't get a full and healthy meal, but it means that, let's say, if they want to offer those Satsumas, they've got to go through a delivery company and purchase them; they might be an Alabama product; they might come out of Florida, which is a much bigger producer, and but they won't be coming fresh from the farm straight to the school."
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