Linda McMahon on the Department of Education's Role and State-Led Educational Innovations

Role of the Department of Education

• 🎯 The Department of Education is often misunderstood; its primary function is to act as a pass-through pathway for federal funds appropriated by Congress to the states.
• 🚫 The department does not teach students directly and has no involvement with the curriculum in any state.

State-Level Educational Progress

• 💡 States making significant progress in education, particularly in reading proficiency, are doing so through their own innovations and initiatives.
• 📈 Examples of states embracing the science of reading include Louisiana, Mississippi (dubbed the 'Mississippi miracle'), Florida, Iowa, and Tennessee.
• 🔑 These advancements are driven at the state level, not dictated by federal mandates.

Federal vs. State Funding and Efficiency

• 📊 The federal government provides only 8-10% of the education budget, with states contributing the remaining 90% and driving educational endeavors.
• 💰 A significant portion of federal grant money, potentially up to 47 cents per dollar, can be spent on regulatory compliance, diverting funds from students and teachers.
• 🚀 The goal is to ensure federal grant money reaches states and students as efficiently as possible, reducing the burden of regulatory compliance on educators.

State Tour and Best Practices Toolkit

• 🗺️ Secretary McMahon is on a 50-state tour visiting various types of schools (grammar, middle, high, micro, private, charter) to observe educational practices.
• 🛠️ The aim is to compile a best practices toolkit from observed innovations to share with states as education is fully delivered back to them.
• 🤝 This toolkit will highlight successful strategies and encourage states to learn from each other, leveraging their competitive spirit.

Education Closest to the Child

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The belief, shared by the President and Secretary McMahon, is that the best education is closest to the child.
• ✅ Parental involvement is considered critical to the success of student education.