Native Issues
Education policy
Mar 21, 2025

Schatz: Dismantling Education Department threatens Native students


March 21, 2025

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) criticized former President Donald Trump’s plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, warning it would violate federal trust responsibilities and harm Native students. More than 92% of Native students attend public schools, which rely on federal funding for special education, language programs, and school operations. Tribal colleges could also face severe cuts. Schatz called the proposal a “betrayal of a sacred federal promise.”

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