By Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Education Association President and CEO

I began my teaching career as a special education teacher, a deeply rewarding experience filled with joys and profound connections hard to match in any other profession. One of the most heartwarming aspects of my job was witnessing academic and personal growth among my students, many of whom faced significant challenges.

Helping students with special needs learn to communicate their wants, express their emotions, and master skills they previously struggled with can be the most fulfilling thing in the world — both for educators and for students’ families. Those small victories, one after another, can make a monumental difference.

This is one reason I am thankful we have an educator who oversees the U.S. Department of Education. I recently met Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, and it was enlightening to hear him talk about the important work the Department of Education performs, especially when it comes to providing educational opportunities for students with learning disabilities.

Last year, Michigan received about $461 million in federal funds through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to help support special education programs, services and personnel in local school districts. This represents about 15% of the total revenues earmarked for special education, with the balance coming from state government and local intermediate school districts.

Ask any educator who works with students with disabilities, and they will tell you the same thing: Special education programs are already grossly under-resourced. There aren’t enough qualified special education teachers or paraeducators to go around, nor are there adequate wraparound services to fully support children with special needs. Eliminating or even reducing federal IDEA funding, as some have proposed via the elimination of the Department of Education, would permanently devastate the 217,000 Michigan students who rely on special education services.

In addition, IDEA lays out standards that provide federal oversight, which helps parents ensure their child’s services are guaranteed. Simply put, students and parents who rely on special education services need considerably more assistance and support to ensure their child’s program is of the highest quality.

The Department of Education also oversees Title I, which provides additional support for low-income schools — usually located in poorer urban and rural areas. Michigan is set to receive more than $440 million this fiscal year in Title I funding.

Without the federal Department of Education, these federal funds would disappear, leaving cash-strapped school districts to fend for themselves. This would deepen existing inequities, as wealthier districts would continue to benefit from higher property tax revenues while schools in poorer districts would face massive cutbacks.

The U.S. Department of Education also plays a crucial role in managing student loans and Pell Grants, which make college more accessible for Michigan’s low- and middle-income students. Without a strong federal Department of Education, the educational disparities between working families and those who are more well-off will become even more prevalent.

We at the Michigan Education Association believe that every child, regardless of their developmental needs or family income, should have access to an excellent education that can help them unlock their full potential.

We are grateful for all the great things coming to Michigan from the U.S. Department of Education. I hope that we can all come together — regardless of politics — to support public education and provide educators and families with every resource they need to create a brighter future for our students.

Labor Voices

Labor Voices columns are written on a rotating basis by United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights Executive Secretary-Treasurer Tom Lutz and selected Service Employees International Union members.

(Posted as submitted to Detroit News)