President Trump's budget proposal will be having a negative impact most on students and researchers. The administration will be cutting funds for the Department of Education by 13.5 percent or about $9.2 billion.
The proposed budget will reduce or cut funding for over 20 departmental programs. It suggested the removal of $2.4 billion in grants for teacher training and $1.2 billion in funding for after-school programs.
Harvard University spokesperson David J. Cameron said that the budget represents a "significant retreat" from the federal government's partnership with research universities. This has resulted to the improvement in the nation's economy and public health.
It was previously reported that this will have a negative impact on large, urban districts like Cleveland. The Ohio city's public schools have relied on a stable, rising pool of federal money to help poor students gain access to education as well as children with special needs, which could prove to be challenging with the budget.
VOA News noted that the budget cuts proposed by the administration would affect students and researchers worldwide. The proposal would cut about $9 billion from the Department of Education spending, which is about 13.5 percent.
The Education Department would see cuts in programs that help low-income and disabled students prepare for college, teacher training programs and community learning centers which provide enrichment and tutoring programs. It would also cut a grant program that helps poor American university students.
Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), wrote a letter to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget saying that the agency was grateful for President Trump "personal involvement" in the support of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). However, he said that details of the budget have sparked worry about the president's commitment to do more for these schools, which might lead to it being unfulfilled.
Lomax added that 55,000 HBCU students would be affected by the removal of the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. Reductions to work-study programs and other federal spending could also affect an additional 26,000 students.
