Educators for Excellence Statement on the Passage of House Budget Reconciliation Legislation

Evan Stone, Co-Founder and CEO of Educators for Excellence, issued the following statement in response to the passage of House Reconciliation legislation that would cut hundreds of billions of dollars that support the educational opportunities, rights, and well-being of millions of students.

“The House’s reconciliation legislation, passed in the middle of the night, would devastate teachers, students, and schools nationwide. It would force states and districts to fill massive funding gaps, especially for schools serving low-income students, at a time when opportunity gaps are already growing. Now that the House has passed this bill, it is up to the Senate to make the right decision for our nation’s kids and stop it.

“The private school voucher scheme included in the legislation diverts $20 billion in federal funding from public school students to tax benefits and scholarships that will disproportionately benefit wealthy families, as has long been the case in state voucher programs. These schools would face no federal oversight, offer no transparency into student outcomes, and permit discrimination against historically underserved students. Meanwhile, students in rural districts, who often lack proximate access to private schools, would have limited access to these programs. These aren’t just bad policies for kids; they are fundamentally at odds with what teachers want, with only 16% of educators supporting using federal funds in this way.

“Additionally, the proposed cuts–totaling hundreds of billions of dollars–to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid would directly harm millions of public school students. Half of all students rely on Medicaid for health insurance, and the program also funds essential school staff like nurses, counselors, and mental health professionals. The historic slashing of SNAP means millions of children would no longer qualify for the program, making it more difficult for them to qualify for free school meals and depriving them of the care and nutrition they need.

“At a time when national test scores continue to sag below levels from 20 years ago, America’s students need more high-quality instruction from well-supported education professionals than ever before. Instead, this bill will leave them with empty stomachs, overworked teachers, little to no mental health supports, and diminished opportunities to succeed in school and life.”