Kids First Chicago joins colleagues nationwide in condemning the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education without a clear plan for what comes next. Established to safeguard educational opportunity for all Americans and secure a prosperous future for our country, the Department has enjoyed decades of bipartisan support. Laying off more than 1,300 employees – half of the total agency staff – deliberately cripples the department from fulfilling its mission.
By taking steps to dismantle the Department of Education, the Trump Administration has shown blatant disregard for our public schools and the 8 in 10 American families who rely on them. The Department plays a critical role in ensuring that 7.4 million students with disabilities, 26 million students from low-income backgrounds, 6.6 million Pell Grant recipients, and countless others—particularly in rural states more dependent on federal funding—receive the education they deserve. After all, quality public education is an American civil right.
In Chicago, these actions threaten to disrupt funding, support, and civil rights protections for more than 230,000 low-income students, 80,000 English learners, and 60,000 students with disabilities. Delays in federal financial assistance could also derail postsecondary opportunities for students in a district where thousands of families qualify for Pell Grants.
These efforts mirror the despicable Project 2025 agenda, designed to harm our most vulnerable students and families. This is a direct assault on the values of Kids First Chicago—and on the fundamental principles of America.
How a Federal Child Care Funding Freeze Could Hit Chicago Public Schools
A proposed federal freeze on child care and family assistance funds threatened to destabilize providers and families across Illinois. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the freeze, offering short-term relief while uncertainty remains if the ruling is appealed.
What 2025 Taught Us About Parent Power
Across Chicago, families showed up not just to react to decisions, but to influence them by asking hard questions, sharing lived experience, and insisting that schools work better for their children. At Kids First Chicago, we believe parents hold essential expertise about what students need to thrive. This year, that belief was affirmed again and again.
Don’t Sell Out Students to Bail Out City Hall
Chicago Public Schools presented a $10.2 billion FY26 budget that protects classrooms and avoids short-term borrowing. Some board members are pushing to make a $175 million payment to the City’s pension fund immediately, which parents and families oppose. Hear from Daniel Anello and Hal Woods of Kids First Chicago on why this funding should stay in schools.