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Communications Toolkit: Department of Education

Protect Essential Programs for Students
Want to use your voice to protect the Department of Education and public education? We’ve created messaging guidance and communications tools to get you started!

What's in this toolkit

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Protect the Department of Education, Pell Grants, IDEA, and Title I

Anti-education politicians and their billionaire friends want to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and dramatically cut funding that helps lower class sizes, give learning support and opportunities to students with disabilities, and provide free and reduced-cost meals to hungry kids so they can learn.

Use these tools to inform your networks how important the Department of Education and other federal programs are to students, educators, and families in our communities—including your own. Together we can demand our leaders protect these essential institutions.

Act Now

A crowd of people holding various signs about supporting public education.

Stop the Destruction of the Department of Education

Gutting the department will destroy programs and protections that guarantee educational opportunities for all students—whether funding for schools or support for students with ADHD, autism, and more.

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Popular Programs

Here are some of the most popular programs supporting students that are at risk if the Department of Education is dismantled.

The Program: Title 1
Title 1 directs money to schools with high concentrations of students living in poverty and provides supports.
The Impact
Support provided through Title 1, such as reading specialists and smaller class sizes, could be decimated if, as proposed in Project 2025, it is turned into block grants and handed over to individual states—without any sort of accountability or oversight. According to an analysis by the Center for American Progress, 180,000 teaching positions could be lost, affecting 2.8 million students in low-income communities.
The Program: Federal Student Aid
The Education Department also administers Federal Student Aid, such as Pell Grants, federal student loans, and loan repayment and forgiveness programs.
The Impact
Thirty percent of U.S. college students rely on these federal loans to pay their tuition. Students and families could lose this support, leading to more students dropping out, fewer choices, and fewer options for families.
The Program: IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides services and support students with disabilities need and deserve.
The Impact
Roughly 7.5 million students, or 15 percent of the student population, receive special education under IDEA, including funding of $15 billion to support students with disabilities. This program could be transferred to another agency, making it significantly less likely that students with disabilities are protected and served to the fullest extent under IDEA.
The Program: Office for Civil Rights
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights protects students against discrimination based on race, gender, and disability.
The Impact
Many expect the White House to move the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights to the Department of Justice, a move that would severely weaken its ability to protect students against discrimination. The absence of strong federal oversight would leave millions of students vulnerable to discrimination, leading to lower levels of motivation and academic achievement and a higher risk of dropping out.

Key Talking Points

When the White House talks about dismantling Department of Education programs, it uses phrases such as “back to the states” to obscure the fact that students— especially lower-income students in rural, suburban, and urban communities and students with disabilities—will lose big.
The Department of Education is a critical champion in enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination and ensuring every student has access to an education that will help them reach their full potential. Dismantling it means defunding programs that feed, educate, and protect our most vulnerable and underserved students, and leaving many families fearful and anxious and communities reeling.
Educators and our allies will push back, protecting popular programs that support students, staff, and strong public schools.

Sample Campaign Copy

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Social Media Posts
  • Instagram: 90% of students — and 95% of students with disabilities learn in public schools, and the Department of Education ensures they get the support they need. Tap the link in our bio to learn how dismantling the department would deepen inequalities and harm students nationwide. nea.org/department-education [Add Graphic from Gallery Below]
  • Facebook: Dismantling the Department of Education means defunding programs that feed, educate, and protect our most vulnerable students. Read NEA’s latest story, which breaks down the devastating impact this would have on students, families, and communities: nea.org/department-education
  • Bluesky/Threads/Other: Our communities need fully funded public schools, not tax cuts for billionaires. From Pell Grants to IDEA to Title I, the Department of Education runs programs essential to the success of students and educators: nea.org/department-education
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Sample Hustle Script
  • TYPE: Share a Link Goal 
  • LINK: https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/protect  
  • SCRIPT: Hi <Member Name>, this is <Organizer Name> with <Affiliate Name>! I thought you might like this story, "How Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students." Can I send it to you? Reply STOP to quit 
  • IF YES: Great! You can read the story using the link below, let me know what you think! <Link> 
  • IF NO: I understand, <Member Name>. Thanks for your time! 
  • OTHER INFORMATION: Make sure to equip your organizers with FAQs and other commonly needed responses.
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Sample Email

Subject Line: How Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students 

Body:  

Hi {{FirstName or 'there'}},  

People don’t always realize it, but the federal government and the U.S. Department of Education have a big impact on our everyday lives and on our local public schools.   

Funding from the Department of Education helps public schools in [Insert Your State/District] lower class sizes, give learning opportunities to students with disabilities, and provide free or reduced-cost meals so hungry students can learn.  

Yet anti-education politicians and their wealthy donors have said they will dismantle the Department of Education and drastically cut funding for public schools.   

Nearly 90% of American students attend public schools and harmful actions like these would have far-reaching consequences on our students and families, especially in rural and underserved communities.   

Check out this news story, “How Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students." 

Read more ➤  

Parents and educators agree that our students need more learning opportunities and more investment, not less.   

In solidarity, 

________

Share These Graphics

A graphic on a black background with a grey wrecking ball hanging from a chain on the right side. ON the left it says "Don't let billionaires take a wrecking ball to our public schools."
A graphic on a black background with a grey wrecking ball hanging from a chain on the right side. ON the left it says "Don't let billionaires take a wrecking ball to our public schools."

A graphic with the following text: "3 things you can do to stop the destruction of the Education Department: 1) Call your House Rep. Text PROTECT to 48744 to connect with your representative. 2) Share on social media. Visit nea.org/protect and share a graphic, article, or video. 3) Urge friends to act. Ask them to text ACTION to 48744 for updates and action alerts.
A graphic with the following text: "3 things you can do to stop the destruction of the Education Department: 1) Call your House Rep. Text PROTECT to 48744 to connect with your representative. 2) Share on social media. Visit nea.org/protect and share a graphic, article, or video. 3) Urge friends to act. Ask them to text ACTION to 48744 for updates and action alerts.

Graphic: Dismantling the DOE will harm students
Graphic: Dismantling the DOE will harm students

Graphic that reads: "The billionaire takeover of public education: Linda McMahon, Elon Musk, Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump—None of them have public education experience. But they are all experts at getting richer while working people suffer."
Graphic that reads: "The billionaire takeover of public education: Linda McMahon, Elon Musk, Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump—None of them have public education experience. But they are all experts at getting richer while working people suffer."

Graphic that reads "What does the Department of Education actually do? (Hint: It’s not running schools)"
Graphic that reads "What does the Department of Education actually do? (Hint: It’s not running schools)"

Graphic that reads: "Myth: Dismantling the Department of Education is a good thing and rightfully returns power to states." and "Reality :States already control most of public education. Dismantling the Education Department isn’t about “state control”— it’s about defunding and privatizing public schools."
Graphic that reads: "Myth: Dismantling the Department of Education is a good thing and rightfully returns power to states." and "Reality :States already control most of public education. Dismantling the Education Department isn’t about “state control”— it’s about defunding and privatizing public schools."

Graphic that reads: "States rely on billions in federal funding for: Lower-income students (Title I), Students with disabilities (IDEA), Rural schools, Career training" and "Without the Education Department, many states can’t fill the gap. Meaning fewer educators, larger class sizes, & fewer opportunities for students."
Graphic that reads: "States rely on billions in federal funding for: Lower-income students (Title I), Students with disabilities (IDEA), Rural schools, Career training" and "Without the Education Department, many states can’t fill the gap. Meaning fewer educators, larger class sizes, & fewer opportunities for students."

Graphic that reads: "Dismantling the Department of Education means public education depends on state politics." and "A student’s future shouldn’t depend on whether certain politicians in state legislatures value education. The Department of Education helps ensure consistent opportunities for all kids, no matter their ZIP code."
Graphic that reads: "Dismantling the Department of Education means public education depends on state politics." and "A student’s future shouldn’t depend on whether certain politicians in state legislatures value education. The Department of Education helps ensure consistent opportunities for all kids, no matter their ZIP code."

Graphic that reads: "The same politicians and billionaires pushing to eliminate the Education Department want to: Expand private school vouchers nationwide, gut educators’ collective bargaining rights, and defund public education to benefit billionaires."
Graphic that reads: "The same politicians and billionaires pushing to eliminate the Education Department want to: Expand private school vouchers nationwide, gut educators’ collective bargaining rights, and defund public education to benefit billionaires."

Graphic that reads: "Myth: Other agencies will absorb the Education Department’s work." and "Reality: That’s like forcing educators to take on social work, mental health services, and admin duties—without training, staff support, or funding. It’s impossible to do well."
Graphic that reads: "Myth: Other agencies will absorb the Education Department’s work." and "Reality: That’s like forcing educators to take on social work, mental health services, and admin duties—without training, staff support, or funding. It’s impossible to do well."

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