UNITE-LA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering equitable economic mobility through education and workforce development in Los Angeles and beyond, strongly opposes the proposed dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. This action would have devastating consequences for educational access, college affordability, workforce development, and ultimately, the economic mobility of individuals especially those from historically underserved communities. Heightened barriers perpetuate cycles of poverty and inequality, undermining our national competitiveness and prosperity.

The Department of Education plays a vital role in administering federal programs, enforcing civil rights protections, and ensuring that students, regardless of race, socioeconomic status or ability, receive equitable, educational opportunities. Dismantling it would destabilize essential funding streams, weaken enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and create state-by-state disparities in access to quality education. Specifically, we are deeply concerned about the following potential impacts:

Reduced Educational Opportunities for Historically Underserved Populations: The Department provides funding and oversight for programs that support students with disabilities, English learners and students from low-income households under laws such as the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

• Eliminating federal oversight would exacerbate achievement gaps, disproportionately affecting Black, Latino, Indigenous, immigrant and low-income students by limiting access to quality education and necessary accommodations.
• Civil rights enforcement under Title VI (race), Title IX (gender), and Section 504 (disability) would be left to states, creating patchwork protections that could weaken students’ legal rights.
• Local educational agencies and colleges, already stretched then, would struggle to fill the void, resulting in inconsistent and inadequate resources for students most in need.

Increased College Affordability Challenges: The Department administers federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants, work study and student loans, making college accessible for millions of students from low- and middle-income households. Dismantling these programs could:

• Drastically limit access to federal financial aid, making higher education unaffordable for many and disproportionately affecting students of color and those from under-resourced communities.
• Threaten funding from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), which play a crucial role in California’s higher education system.
• Leave students vulnerable to predatory lending practices, increasing student debt burdens.

Weakened Workforce Development: The Department supports Career and Technical Education (CTE), apprenticeships and postsecondary workforce training through initiatives like the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Eliminating federal coordination would:

• Widen skills gaps by limiting investments in high-demand fields like healthcare, technology, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
• Disrupt partnerships between educational institutions, industry leaders and workforce boards, making it harder to align training programs with employer needs.
• Disproportionately impact communities with high unemployment and underemployment, weakening state and local economies.

California-Specific Consequences: California, home to one of the most diverse student populations in the nation, would be disproportionately affected by cuts to federal education programs. Our state relies heavily on federal funding to support:

• K-12 Title I schools serving students from low-income households.
• Financial aid for first-generation and immigrant students.
• Sectoral workforce pipelines in key industries like aerospace, life sciences, cleantech and technology.

Dismantling the Department of Education would place additional financial strain on the state and local governments, forcing difficult budget trade-offs that could lead to reduced educational quality and workforce readiness.

In partnership,

Alysia Bell
President, UNITE-LA

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