In the second edition of “Five Days and Five Ways,” the DCCC is highlighting how Washington Insider David Young’s plan to give more tax breaks to the wealthy while eliminating the Department of Education and cutting funding for schools would hurt special education students.
Today’s example: Special Education. David Young’s plan to eliminate the Department of Education would cut $115.8 million in special education grants for Iowa.
“It’s easy for David Young to gloss over the details after two decades in Washington, D.C., but the reality for Iowans is that his proposal to eliminate the Department of Education and cut school funding while giving tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations has real consequences,” said Brandon Lorenz of the DCCC. “More than $100 million in funding for special education students and their families would be forfeit if David Young had his way.”
BACKGROUND:
Young: “Of Course” He Would Get Rid of Department of Education In September 2013, when asked if he would get rid of the Department of Education, said “of course.” HOST: Education. Would you get rid of the Department of Education? YOUNG: I’d get rid of it as we know it, of course. But I would, you know, I would. [YouTube, 9/07/13]
Young: Federal Government in Education Should Only Enforce Discrimination In September 2013, Young said that the only role for the federal government in education would be to “enforce any discrimination.” “I would say that really the only role I see would be to just enforce any discrimination in education, and that could be done, really sort of lies with the Department of Justice. I think – I do not like the fact that the federal government is taking over our schools. I would like to see a time where the power is in your hands, the parents’ hands, and school boards’ hands,” Young said. [YouTube, 9/06/13]
Eliminating the Department of Education Would Cut Almost $4 Billion in Funds to Iowa, Including $115.8 Million in Special Education Grants. According to the Department of Education, they gave almost $4 billion in funds to Iowa in Fiscal Year 2013 and had requested over $4 billion in funds for Fiscal Year 2015. In 2013, Iowa received $115.8 million in Special Education Grants from the Department of Education. [Department of Education, 7/14/14]