Ohio Education Association members, leaders meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as the Education Secretary Nominee testifies before Congress
[WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 12, 2025] Ahead of the confirmation hearing for U.S. Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon, Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro is joining other local educators, parents, and community leaders on Capitol Hill to advocate for Ohio students and their public schools. DiMauro will join hundreds of educators, parents, students, and members of Congress at a rally on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 4:15 p.m. EST to lobby members of Congress and stand up for students by fighting against the effort to dismantle the Department of Education, pass universal vouchers and cut vital services Ohio students depend on in their public schools.The rally comes at a pivotal moment, as the Trump administration attempts to advance policies that would eliminate essential support and protections for students, increase class sizes, and divert funds away from hundreds of local public school districts across our state. DiMauro joins local advocates and others across the country in speaking out against Executive Orders that will strip resources from vulnerable students, including those with disabilities, and make higher education more expensive for future generations.
The following day, McMahon is scheduled to appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. EST, the first hurdle in the cabinet nomination process.
WHY IT MATTERS LOCALLY:
Students in every community across Ohio benefit from programs run by the Department of Education, especially lower-income students in rural, suburban, and urban communities; students who qualify for federal grants or loans to receive career training or attend 2- and 4-year colleges; and students with disabilities. In our Ohio communities, these proposed cuts would directly affect local schools, impacting funding, educational opportunities, and support systems for students who rely on vital services.
- More than 808,000 students in Ohio receive Title I funds from the Department of Education. Ohio public schools would lose around $700 million in vital funding to hire teachers and other school support staff.
- Losing federal dollars would further exacerbate the educator shortages plaguing Ohio public schools, causing students’ class sizes to balloon.
- Special education programs will suffer with the loss of more than $550 million that goes to Ohio students. Ohio educators and parents expect elected officials to prioritize our students’ futures and strengthen our public schools, so they remain a cornerstone of opportunity and equality.
BACKGROUND:
The Trump administration’s early EOs have already undermined civil rights protections for students, eroded access to essential educational resources, and escalated threats to the foundation of public education. The rally comes ahead of the confirmation hearing for Linda McMahon, a nominee whose policies are seen by many as part of an extreme agenda to dismantle public education and attack students’ rights.
Only Congress has the power to abolish the Education Department, and the vast majority of Congress— including Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH 10), Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH 14), and 58 other House Republicans—rejected gutting public education last session, knowing it would only hurt students and is deeply unpopular with parents and educators.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
To schedule an interview with Ohio educators in Washington this week or with other educators in different communities around Ohio, please contact Katie Olmsted at olmstedk@ohea.org or by calling or texting her at (614)560-6299. Photos from the rally Wednesday afternoon and district and statewide federal funding data are also available by request.