SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Republican Sen. Mike Rounds is proposing legislation to do away with the U.S. Department of Education.
It’s called the “Returning Education to Our States Act.”
The move falls in line with President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to eliminate the Department of Education which was formed in 1979.
Rounds introduces plan to dismantle Dept. of Education
“It’s time to look at it again, get the dollars back to the states, allow the states to do this with input from the local districts that block grant it, I think that’s where the best decisions are made. Get rid of the Federal red tape, get rid of the regulatory activity coming from bureaucrats in Washington D.C.,” Rounds said.
Before 1979, school funding was administered by the states, Rounds believes returning to that model is better for the country and for South Dakota.
“Our goal, save money, eliminate bureaucracy, and eliminate a lot of the Washington down requirements for if you want these funds in the future you have to follow the following guidelines and rules that a bureaucrat makes here in D.C.,” Rounds said.
Rounds feels local school boards and superintendents can make better use of the money. He says despite spending $16,000 per students, other than math, standardized test scores have been dropping the last 10 years.
Tom Hanson: How did your time as Governor figure into your decision to support this legislation?
“A lot,” said Rounds. “It was frustrating to see the federal government coming through saying if you want these block grants or if you want these grants you have to make the following changes and they were one size fits all rules and regulations.”
Rounds is confident South Dakota will not lose any funding if the Department of Education goes away.
“No money is being taken from the states or the tribes, what is being eliminated is about one billion dollars in administrative costs at the federal level,” he said.
Rounds says student loan programs will be moved to the Treasury Department where they originated. He believes future legislation can make improvements to those programs as well.
Under the Rounds plan, other important programs would be moved as well.Special education programs would be overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services and Native American programs will be moved to the Department of Interior.
