MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
In the six months since Donald Trump returned to the White House, the federal government's approach to education has undergone remarkable change, from big staffing cuts at the Education Department to a sweeping overhaul of federal student loans. So we thought this would be a good time to hear from NPR education correspondent Cory Turner for a look at what's happened since January. Good morning, Cory.
CORY TURNER, BYLINE: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: So let's start with a fight over money that Congress intended for public schools but the schools have not received yet. Tell us what's happening there.
TURNER: Yeah. It's about $5 billion for school districts all over the country. It helps pay for teachers and teacher training, for academic programs. It even funds AP classes in some places and supports English learners.
I spoke with Sasha Pudelski with AASA. That's The School Superintendents Association. They did a quick survey of hundreds of superintendents across the country, and this holdup has them really worried.
SASHA PUDELSKI: Three out of 4 superintendents said they will have to eliminate academic services for students, and these include targeted literacy and math coaching.
TURNER: Now, Michel, as for why this money is being held up, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, recently told reporters some of the programs this money was intended to fund were - in his word - riddled with critical race theory. Though, I should add, even many Republicans are frustrated with this holdup. Ten Republican senators sent Vought a letter demanding that he release this money to schools.
MARTIN: OK, something to keep an eye on there. So let's go to staff cuts at the Education Department. Tell us the latest there.
TURNER: Yeah. We now know August 1 - a week from today - will be the last day for a big chunk of the department. That's after the Supreme Court allowed the administration to finish laying off about 1,400 department workers. Soon, the department is going to be roughly half the size it was six months ago.
As for what's being lost, we know much of the department's research and data collection was gutted. They also cut dozens of attorneys who make sure schools are using federal dollars according to the law, and they protect the civil rights of vulnerable students, including kids with disabilities.
I spent a lot of time this week interviewing some of these laid-off workers, and several were really eager, Michel, to set the record straight about something President Trump said in March when these layoffs were announced. He said the department was cutting people who, quote, "are not working or are not doing a good job."
I can tell you, these cuts were not targeted. Entire units were gutted, including experienced public servants with stellar performance reviews. David Downey worked at the department for 30 years before he was laid off, and he said something I heard from quite a few department workers.
DAVID DOWNEY: You know, I fell in love with my job somewhere along the line, and I love helping people. We care. We are your neighbors, and we care. And our oath to the Constitution, it isn't going to end when Trump stops the paychecks.
MARTIN: So, Cory, is it possible that this stripped-down department might get even smaller?
TURNER: You know, I think the administration feels emboldened by the Supreme Court's decision. Honestly, though, Michel, you know, I'm focusing now not so much on where is the work being moved, but is it getting done well or at all? You know, for me, the student loan program is going to be the canary in the coal mine. It was difficult to manage at full staff, and now the office has been cut in half. Plus, Republicans just passed an enormous overhaul, and they want to create a whole new system to hold colleges accountable if their degrees don't pay off. You know, publicly, the department insists this work will get done. I think whether or not that's true is going to be the story of the next six months.
MARTIN: And you'll be reporting on it, so thank you for that. That is NPR education correspondent Cory Turner. Cory, thank you.
TURNER: You're welcome.
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