What’s Happening in Washington
*Please note: This update may not include all the changes currently happening in the federal government.
Here’s what’s been happening in federal education policy for the month of May, and what lies ahead.
The U.S. Congress
Appropriations Season Continues: The U.S. House of Representatives passed its Reconciliation Bill for FY25 in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 22nd. The bill, which passed by a 215-214-1 vote, mostly along party lines, extends President Trump’s tax cut from 2017 till the end of his term. To offset the cost of the tax cuts, the bill cuts over $1 trillion in spending over the next 10 years. For example, the House’s Education and Workforce Committee’s Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan proposes $350 billion in spending reductions, cutting student aid. This would include changing eligibility requirements for the Pell Grant, ending PLUS loans, changing repayment plans, and instituting a risk-sharing requirement for universities.
The Reconciliation Bill now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to undergo major revisions.
The White House
The President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget: On May 2nd, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Skinny Budget. This blueprint of the President’s budget calls for $12 billion in cuts to the ED, or a 15% reduction from the approved FY25 funding levels, and consolidates 18 currently unnamed competitive and discretionary grant programs into one block grant.
The U.S. Department of Education
Secretary McMahon Testifies on the President’s Budget: On Wednesday, May 21st, the Secretary testified in front of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies about the President’s skinny budget.
During the hearing, Secretary McMahon answered questions related to the Department of Education’s actions against Congressional allocations for education programs. The Secretary reiterated that the Department will continue to follow the law while also prioritizing increasing school choice, improving literacy, and “returning education back to the states.” The Secretary did not offer additional details on the President’s “skinny budget” proposal, including which competitive grant programs will be consolidated into the Simplified Grant Program.
President Trump nominates Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education: On May 9, the ED announced the nomination of Dr. David Barker as the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the ED.
The U.S. Supreme Court
On May 22nd, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a 4-4 decision, upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that the state cannot use taxpayer dollars to fund a religious Charter School. The Court’s opinion states that the direct and complete public funding of the school violates the separation of church and state doctrine.
Additionally, on May 22nd, a federal judge blocked the mass firings of ED employees by the Administration that took place starting in March.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
On May 14th, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services stated during his Senate hearing on the President’s budget that the Trump Administration will ”preserve” Head Start, now in its 60th year as a federal program, and fund it at the FY25 level.
Events & Resources
Register NOW for our 2025 National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from May 28 -30, 2025! ✍️
- This national conference brings together people from across the country who believe all children deserve a safe place to live and opportunities to learn and thrive. Inspired by our theme: Rising Together: Powering the Movement, the conference catalyzes collaboration, action, and a renewed commitment to transforming our practices, partnerships, and systems! Register here.
Webinars & Capacity Building Events 💻
- Government Relations Community Meeting on Secretary McMahon’s Senate Hearing about the Budget, on May 27 at 2:00pm ET. Hosted by the Council for Opportunity for Education (COE).
- NCSL Policy Review Week 2025: Education Committee on June 10, 4pm ET. Hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
- Afterschool Webinar: Policy Pulse on June 30 at 12:00pm ET. Hosted by Afterschool Alliance.
New Research, Reports, & Analysis 📝
- A Template for Considering New University Accreditors by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
- Governors’ Top Education Priorities in 2025 State of the State Addresses Education Committees of the States
- When Micro Goes Macro: A Nationwide Review of States’ Educator Micro-Credential Policies by New America
- Student Health and Wellness at the State Level by the Education Committees of the States
- See Which Schools Trump’s Education Department Is Investigating and Why: A Tracker by Education Weekly
- The Future of Youth Development: Building Systems and Strengthening Programs by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
IEL Updates 📜
- IEL Announces Launch of National Action Commission
The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) announces the launch of a National Action Commission, a new national collaborative designed to improve schools and communities by lifting up hyperlocal solutions and building systemic change, such as place-based, Community Schools, and whole-child strategies. Led by Dr. Bernadine Futrell—IEL Senior Fellow and former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education—the Commission brings together leaders across philanthropy, education, business, community organizations, and policy to elevate effective strategies, align resources, and guide investments in community-led solutions.