On March 28, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced that the department would be liquidating all obligations under the Education Stabilization Fund, effective immediately. Previously the department had granted an extension to use the money by March 28, 2026. McMahon said that state education departments across the country have had more than enough time to use these COVID era funds. Her letter said the federal government is not obligated to accept extension requests, and they are allowed to reconsider any prior decisions.
Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher has pushed back against this, saying the sudden fund liquidation will harm schools across the state.
Kentucky State Senator Steve West said this is fallout from Washington and the overarching question of what is going to happen to the US Department of Education. He urged people not to worry, saying that the department was established in the ‘70s.
“Somehow or another before 1978, the United States had a very good education system, I think we may have been number one in the world for our educational system. And so, this is my opinion, the feds really don’t do much for us, on the ground when it comes to education,” said West.
West added that there are two paths that dismantling the department could take, good and bad.
“We eliminate the department of education, and we cut education 50%, something to that nature. That would be a bad path. A good path would be, couple things, you send us the money you’re currently sending us, and eliminate the bureaucracy in Washington, that would be a good path,” said West.
Officials with the Kentucky Department of Education say they will be requesting that the original COVID fund liquidation deadline of March 2026 be reinstated.