Department of Education
Overview
The FY2027 budget proposes cutting the Department of Education's funding by about 2.9%, from $78.8 billion to $76.5 billion, but the impact is concentrated in a near-total elimination of many targeted programs rather than spread evenly. The largest changes include consolidating $4.5 billion in K-12 support programs affecting 26 million Title I students, and eliminating college aid and access programs like TRIO, GEAR UP, Federal Work-Study, and FSEOG that together help millions of low-income and first-generation college students. Also eliminated are supports for English Learners, migrant children, minority-serving colleges, and teacher-preparation programs. Overall, the cuts fall most heavily on low-income students, English language learners, migrant families, and colleges serving disadvantaged populations.
14 programs affected · $11.6B total proposed reduction
Program-level cuts
K-12 Consolidation
17 K-12 Programs Consolidated into MEGA Grants
26 million students in Title I schools; 1.7 million in after-school programs; teachers in training
OCTAE
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (Perkins Act Programs)
Career and technical education students; adult literacy programs; states managing workforce programs
TRIO Programs
TRIO Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Services
880,000 disadvantaged students at 1,000+ colleges (first-gen, low-income)
~600,000 college students relying on campus employment
1.6 million low-income undergraduates receiving need-based grants
5.26 million English Learner students (10–11% of all public school students)
~375,000 children of migrant farmworkers
GEAR UP
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs
560,000 middle/high school students in low-income communities
Hundreds of Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Asian American/Pacific Islander-serving institutions
Colleges and universities pursuing innovation in higher education delivery
International/Foreign Language Ed
Title VI — International Education and Foreign Language Programs
Area studies centers; foreign language programs at 400+ institutions
Teacher Quality Partnership
Teacher Quality Partnership Grants
Teacher preparation programs at universities; prospective teachers
Comprehensive Centers
Regional and National Comprehensive Centers
State education agencies receiving technical support
Equity Assistance Centers
Training and Advisory Services (Equity Assistance Centers)
School districts seeking technical assistance on civil rights compliance