NJ Senate Education Chairman Vin Gopal’s Statement on the Announcement of the Dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education

TRENTON, NJ - New Jersey Senate Education Chairman Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order directing Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the Department of Education to the fullest extent possible:

“The decision to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and push for its ultimate closure is an unprecedented attack on public education that threatens to destabilize schools, educators, students, and families across New Jersey and the nation. As one of the top-ranked states in education - ranked second nationwide by U.S. News & World Report - New Jersey has built a strong Pre-K-12 system that prioritizes student success, and we intend to ensure that standard remains.

“As Senate Education Chairman, we have worked diligently at the state level to stabilize state aid for school funding, including securing more equitable special education payments and guaranteeing increased support for students with disabilities. However, the sudden and permanent loss of federal funding would be catastrophic, leaving school districts scrambling to cover critical programs.

“This Executive Order will have severe economic consequences. If the federal government abandons its role in education funding, the burden will fall squarely on the shoulders of local taxpayers. Property taxes could skyrocket as districts attempt to offset the loss of millions in federal aid, forcing communities to make painful choices between raising taxes or cutting essential services.

“In Fiscal Year 2025, the New Jersey Department of Education received $1.24 billion in federal funding, including more than $500 million for special education grants, $4 million for school-based mental health services, and $29 million for vocational education. The future of this funding remains uncertain for Fiscal Year 2026 and beyond under this Executive Order. Without federal oversight, protections for students with disabilities, Title I funding for low-income schools, and critical resources for mental health and special education will be thrown into uncertainty.

“New Jersey is home to 1.4 million public school students and more than 61,000 charter school students, served by 697 local educational agencies and over 2,500 schools. At the state level, we are doing everything possible to ensure stability for New Jersey schools through state aid and other funding mechanisms. Education is the foundation of our future, and student success remains our top priority. New Jersey will continue to lead in providing a high-quality education for our Pre-K-12 schools as we navigate the consequences of this Executive Order.”

In Fiscal Year 2025, the New Jersey Department of Education received $1.24 billion in federal funding, allocated under the following programs: 21st Century Schools: $31,948,000; AIDS Prevention Education: $120,000; Bilingual and Compensatory Education - Homeless Children and Youth: $3,225,000; Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant: $15,000,000; Every Student Succeeds Act - Consolidated Administration: $7,548,000; Head Start Collaboration: $275,000; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Basic State Grant: $489,273,000; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Preschool Grants: $14,799,000; Language Acquisition Discretionary Administration: $34,808,000; Migrant Education- Administration/Discretionary: $1,485,000; School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program: $4,000,000; State Assessments: $8,707,000; Student Support & Academic Enrichment State Grants: $33,660,000; Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants: $47,520,000; Title I - Grants to Local Educational Agencies: $510,147,000; Title I - Part D, Neglected and Delinquent: $1,584,000; Various Federal Programs and Accruals: $3,878,000; Vocational Education - Basic Grants - Administration: $29,841,000.

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Senator Vin Gopal serves as Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate

Education Committee. He previously served as Democratic Conference Chair (2022-2025) and Majority Conference Leader (2018-2021). Elected in 2018, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County, Senator Gopal represents residents of Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Freehold, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbor, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township, and Tinton Falls.