{"id":15966,"date":"2025-03-05T21:24:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T21:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?p=15966"},"modified":"2025-03-05T21:24:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T21:24:30","slug":"durham-school-leaders-eye-potential-federal-funding-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2025\/03\/05\/durham-school-leaders-eye-potential-federal-funding-cuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Durham school leaders eye potential federal funding cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"
Already facing a $7 million budget shortfall, the Durham school system is now grappling with the potential of federal funding cuts.<\/span><\/p>\n At a meeting on Feb. 21, district officials discussed their 2025-2026 budget priorities ahead of the release of the superintendent\u2019s recommended budget on March 27.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cChanges at the national level have the potential to impact public education in our district,\u201d Superintendent Anthony Lewis said at the start of the meeting. \u201cAnd please know that we are closely monitoring these shifts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Jeremy Teetor, DPS\u2019 chief financial officer said he and his team calculated that the district spends five to six million dollars in federal funding every month. The estimate includes funding for the Community Eligibility Provision, a federal program DPS joined this year that provides free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of income.<\/span><\/p>\n While uncertainty loomed at the Feb. 21 meeting, Teetor said DPS is working to be prepared.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re monitoring very carefully as a senior leadership team what are the threats to various forms of federal funding and how we might need to react,\u201d Teetor said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thus far, federal cuts to education spending have not affected the district directly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Under President Trump, the U.S. Department of Education has been axing what it characterizes as \u201cwoke spending.\u201d That includes ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and enforcing President Trump\u2019s executive order that bans transgender athletes from competing in women\u2019s sports.<\/span><\/p>\n The department <\/span>cut<\/span><\/a> over $600 million in grants for teacher training on concepts such as Critical Race Theory, DEI, social justice, anti-racism, white privilege, and white supremacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Further, the federal government has implemented $562 million in <\/span>cuts<\/span><\/a> for programs that provide technical assistance and training services in centers across the country. In North Carolina, those cuts are landing primarily at the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, which runs both the Comprehensive Centers Program and the Regional Educational Laboratory for the Southeast.<\/span><\/p>\n