At the American Principles Project Gala in Washington, D.C., Education Secretary Linda McMahon reassured a parent that federal funding for special‑needs students would continue even if the Department of Education is scaled back. McMahon said federal funds come from Congress and that the department primarily acts as a pass‑through. She advocated returning authority to parents, teachers and state officials and proposed delivering more aid as state block grants with safeguards.
McMahon Reassures Parent That Special‑Needs Funding Will Continue Amid Plans To Shrink Education Department
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said on Monday reassured a parent of a child with special needs that the funding would continue.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Tuesday recounted reassuring a worried parent that federal funding for students with special needs would not stop even as the Department of Education is pared back.
Speaking at the American Principles Project Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., where she received the Charlie Kirk Defender of the Family award, McMahon urged that education decisions be returned to state and local leaders and families.
Linda McMahon shared an exchange she had with a concerned parent about the impact that dismantling the Department of Education would have on students with special needs.
During a question-and-answer session, McMahon described an exchange with a mother who feared that dismantling or shrinking the Department of Education would interrupt programs and supports for her child with special needs. The parent worried that funding and services might disappear.
"Who's better able to determine the needs of your child? You, who work with your child every day, you take your child to school, you're talking with your teachers, you know what your child needs. Are you not the best advocate for that child?" McMahon recalled asking the mother.
McMahon said she assured the mother that the money would continue to flow because federal education funds originate in Congress. "If the Department of Education moves different programs to different agencies, that will not shut down the funding," she said, adding that the department primarily functions as a pass-through for federal allocations.
Last month, McMahon said that the government shutdown proved federal involvement isn’t essential for schools to operate after President Trump signed legislation ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
She argued that the department does not make day-to-day school decisions such as hiring teachers or choosing textbooks, but rather manages competitive grants and distributes federal aid. McMahon suggested that more federal funds could be channeled to states as block grants with "some guardrails," which she said would reduce regulatory burden and give local officials greater flexibility.
McMahon also referenced the recent government shutdown, saying the episode demonstrated that schools could continue operating without expanded federal intervention. Her remarks were delivered in the company of former senator Kelly Loeffler, who attended the event.
Context: McMahon's comments reflect a broader push by some policymakers to devolve federal education responsibility to states and localities. Supporters say this would streamline services and enlarge local control; critics have raised concerns about potential disruptions to program administration and protections for vulnerable students.
