What California Education Cuts Could Mean for Black Students

July 2, 2025

The Trump administration is considering cutting nearly $8 billion in federal education funding from California amid political disputes over immigration enforcement and transgender rights. This potential cut would affect crucial programs such as Title I, which serves low-income students, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which supports students with special needs. Education advocates warn these cuts would particularly harm Black students, who already face significant achievement gaps that a recent report projected wouldn't close until 2070 for reading and 2089 for math proficiency.

Who is affected

Black K-12 public school students in California, particularly the more than 3 in 4 who participate in Title I programs
Low-income students across California
Students with disabilities who rely on IDEA funding
Multilingual learners
Students who depend on transitional kindergarten, tutoring, and afterschool programs
Schools and districts that serve predominantly low-income populations
Teachers who benefit from development programs funded by federal dollars

What action is being taken

California School Superintendent Tony Thurmond is preparing to block any attempt to pull state funding
California and other states are fighting these efforts in court
The California Department of Education continues to work to protect all students' access to educational resources
Education advocates are encouraging families to attend school board meetings, meet with principals, and contact legislators
School leaders are being urged to prioritize equity in their decision-making

Why it matters

The funding cuts would affect critical programs that help students recover from learning loss, receive individualized support, and stay on track to graduate
Without these resources, the projected timeline for Black students reaching reading proficiency (2070) and math proficiency (2089) could be stretched even further
Title I provides over $18 billion annually nationwide to help reduce class sizes, fund teacher retention, provide tutoring, and cover costs for after-school programs
California has the sixth-largest Black population in the country and the state's $3.9 trillion economy (5th largest in the world) significantly impacts the entire U.S.
The cuts would compound what advocates describe as "a long national history of underinvesting in Black students"

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint