Don't 'chainsaw' education

Within the Department of Education, Title I exists to close educational gaps by allocating federal funds for education programs and services. Having taught in Title I and non-Title I schools, I know the impact that those federal dollars have on providing equitable education for our nation's students. In my role as the Title I teacher in my school, I had three responsibilities; the most important being to provide reading intervention for students needing small-group, targeted assistance in learning how to read. This is critically important for our youngest, emerging readers, and research unequivocally supports that early intervention works. A second role was to provide at least four family engagement events each year where families enjoyed educational events. Research indicates that when families participate in their children's learning, student achievement increases. In my third role, I assisted the faculty/staff in continuing to increase their curriculum knowledge and hone their instructional expertise by arranging professional learning opportunities. This piece is critically important as teacher knowledge and skills must stay current. All of the above was funded through federal dollars under Title I. I am extremely concerned with what happens if there is no longer a Department of Education to administer and monitor the funding. I can only hope that those involved do not use the "chainsaw" approach and instead look critically at each and every piece of the Title I program and how it benefits our children, their families, our teachers and our communities. The current administration indicates a commitment to total abandonment of the Department of Education (DOE) without a clear (if any) timeline of how management would transfer to the states. The new Secretary of Education, who has absolutely no background in education, seems to be clueless as to how the department functions. Although Congress SHOULD be responsible for any decision regarding DOE, it's uncertain they can prevail as participants. My goal in writing this letter is to share my experience teaching in a Title I school where federal monies provided equitable instruction, resources, and opportunities for all of the stakeholders. I urge all of us to stay informed and voice concerns to our elected representatives and senators. The preservation of public education is essential for a literate society. Mary Truka Truka was a teacher for 44 years, in Sandusky and Hendersonville, Tennessee.