As Florida Teachers Worry About School Funding, Trump and DeVos Divert Federal CARES Act Relief from Public Schools

A recent Florida Education Association survey shows that more than half of Florida’s teachers are stressed about looming budget cuts. The ongoing economic crisis, worsened by Donald Trump’s failure to act decisively early in the outbreak, could lead to major budget cuts to Florida’s schools.

While public schools are facing budget shortfalls, Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos continue to push their anti-public school agenda. Thanks to guidance put out by DeVos, private schools are now positioned to receive more support than intended from the CARES Act, while low-income school districts will receive less.

Additionally, according to a Washington Post report, Trump and DeVos have diverted $180 million in relief for K-12 school districts and higher education to “expand alternatives to traditional public school districts” in an attempt to create a backdoor voucher program.

“It’s unconscionable that even in the middle of a pandemic, Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos are continuing their assault on public education,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo, “Trump’s own incompetence has exacerbated this crisis — and now he and DeVos are diverting critical funding from public education to push their ideological agenda.”