Hawaii State Teachers Association leaders, including some who are educators themselves, joined a large group of teachers, parents, students and elected officials in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to urge Congress to oppose federal cuts and protect public education.

They opposed plans to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, expand universal school vouchers and reduce essential services for Hawaii’s public school students.

President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the DOE, calling it ineffective, and has nominated former World Wrestling Entertainment executive and Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon as secretary of education to oversee the department’s closure.

McMahon’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for today before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

Trump is also expected to sign an executive order to funnel federal dollars to private schools, a move education leaders say could strip public school students of vital federal funding.

The rally in Washington was part of a nationwide movement to protect public education funding.

Educators warned that dismantling the DOE and diverting public funds to private schools through vouchers could harm education quality, especially in underserved communities like those in Hawaii.

Hilo Intermediate social studies teacher Aaron Kubo attended the rally and spoke with Hawaii congressional delegates, including U.S. Rep. Ed Case and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda.

“They did mention that they are proposing to cut millions of dollars from the federal Department of Education, and that is just a staggering amount of numbers,” Kubo said.

About 11% of Hawaii’s public school funding comes from the federal government, supporting 160,000 students this school year.

Of that, $52 million is allocated through Title I funding, which helps 96,000 students from lower- income areas. Additionally, 20,000 special needs students rely on $38 million from the DOE.

In fiscal year 2022-2023, the state DOE’s operating budget was approximately $2.6 billion, with $276.7 million, or 11%, from federal funds. The majority, about $1.9 billion or 73%, came from general funds, covering core operations such as teacher salaries and school programs, while special funds, at 27%, supported specific initiatives like charter schools and school food programs.

HSTA President Osa Tui Jr. warned that cuts to federal funding would disproportionately affect vulnerable groups and worsen issues like youth homelessness.

“The federal funds that are used to support our keiki would instead be tossed — tossing those keiki to the side,” Tui said. “In our society, there is talent and there is opportunity: talent is spread throughout; opportunity is not. That is the promise of public education. Our public school educators help to develop those very talents within all of our keiki and give them the opportunities they might not otherwise have.”

Kubo expressed concern about the future of his school, Hilo Intermediate, a Title I school that serves students from low-income families. He attended the rally to show solidarity with his fellow educators and spoke with many who shared the same message.

“We want to make a change, and we don’t want our kids to be the targets of what’s happening, and the collateral damage that’s going to happen,” he said.

The rally was described as chaotic, with anxiety and worry, especially among parents of vulnerable children who rely on financial and special education support.

“I’m a Title I school — that means a lot of my kids are on free and reduced lunch,” Kubo said. “They plan to cut USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) funds as well that feed our kids breakfast and lunch. For a lot of our kids, that’s the only meal that they get all day. Hearing that the federal government wants to cut all those things and then take away Title I funding, which, again, is meant to bridge the gap between our neediest populations and help raise them up, and to hear that they want to cut those services and cut special education services and funds that actually help all of our students, is unfortunate and disgraceful, to be honest.”

Hawaii’s educational leaders emphasized that schools are already underfunded, and the proposed cuts could result in severe consequences, including job losses, particularly in Title I schools that depend on federal support for staffing.

A week ago, University of Hawaii President Wendy Hensel acknowledged the significant impact of recent federal policy changes on higher education, citing executive orders affecting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility programs, research funding, immigration enforcement and Title IX protections.

In fiscal year 2023-2024, UH had an operating budget of approximately $1.25 billion, with federal funds making up about 1%, or $12.35 million. UH also secured a record $615.7 million in extramural research funding, a 19.3% increase from the previous year. The U.S. DOE supports UH through various programs, including Title IV programs like Pell Grants and federal student loans, as well as targeted initiatives like TRIO programs (Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Service) for first-generation students and special programs for students with disabilities.

“While we do not have all the answers, I believe it is important at this point to share with you what we do know and how we plan to proceed as a community,” Hensel said in a statement. “I want to assure members of our community that leaders from across the university are meeting regularly and working hard in conjunction with the Board of Regents to determine how we will respond to these orders.”

The U.S. DOE was established in 1979 under former President Jimmy Carter’s administration, consolidating various education agencies into one. It focused on enhancing federal education policy and equity, working to improve access for marginalized communities, and enforcing laws prohibiting discrimination in schools.

Under Carter, the DOE aimed to increase funding for elementary and secondary education, address teacher shortages and support curriculum development to improve education across the nation.

The potential cuts to federal funding for education, including for Hawaii’s public schools and the University of Hawaii, have sparked widespread concern among educators and local leaders.

With vulnerable populations dependent on these resources, the outcome of ongoing discussions in Washington and Hawaii could significantly affect the ability to maintain key educational programs and services.