How States Should Manage Education: Andrew Handel on NewsTalk STL
It's high time that we send this authority back to the States.
Andrew Handel, ALEC Education and Workforce Development Task Force Director, recently discussed the Trump Administration’s executive to dissolve the Department of Education with NewsTalkSTL hosts Tim Jones and Chris Arps.
“Public education is going to keep going strong, regardless of what the administration does,” Handel said. “The key thing is that the administration wants to send education authority back to the states.” The concept emphasizes returning decision-making power to state governments, allowing local communities greater control over their education systems.
While the administration has suggested transferring educational authority to the states, Handel assured that essential programs like Title I funding for low-income schools and special education funding will remain. “It’s really, really important to emphasize those programs aren’t going anywhere. [Though] they might be moved to other agencies or provide states with greater autonomy, none of that funding is disappearing here in the short term,” he clarified.
Reducing bureaucratic overhead is another goal. “A lot of money is spent on compliance and administrative costs,” Handel explained. “If we can reduce that by even a small percentage, we’re talking about hundreds of millions of additional dollars for states.”
The shift could also enhance school choice. “States like Missouri are expanding school choice, making more schools accessible to families,” Handel said.
Critics argue that eliminating the Department of Education could harm public schools. Handel disagreed, citing Florida as an example. “Florida has been viewed as the gold standard when it comes to education freedom, and public schools in that state are thriving right now,” he noted.
Handel also addressed workforce development, emphasizing initiatives to ease teacher credentialing and create alternative pathways for career changers. “We’re looking at things like teacher credentialing and making sure that we not only have high-quality teachers in the workforce but also that we’re creating new pathways for adult learners,” he said.
Overall, Handel expressed optimism. “It’s high time that we send this authority back to the States. The states are the ones who are ultimately responsible for providing this education to these kids,” he concluded.