As the Trump administration is dismantling the Department of Education (DOE), questions are going around about what this could mean for public schools. At Thomas A. Edison, concerns are growing about how potential federal education cuts could impact day-to-day life for students, particularly those in English Language Learner (ELL) and Special Education programs. This raises serious concerns about the future of federally funded education programs. With many students at Edison falling into both categories, the potential loss of funding could have a devastating impact.
Day-to-Day Disruptions for Our Students
Inside classrooms, the absence of support services wouldn’t just be a budget issue, it would reshape our classrooms. Teachers would struggle to teach materials, and students will not get the adequate support they need.
“It’s not only the lack of teacher presence, but the lack of active support during each class lesson,” said Ms. Dellabonta.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding next year’s budget, Ms. Scolavino, the Assistant Principal of ISS, Art, and Music, shared, “At this time, the outlook for next year’s funding remains uncertain. However, we are encouraged by the recent approval to hire three additional Special Education Teachers. This step will help us better support our students and contribute to class-size reduction efforts.”
In many classrooms, ELL students rely on push-in teachers who provide one-on-one support during lessons. As Ms. Dellabonta explained, without this support, these students risk being “looped in with the rest of the student population,” which means they get “less of the scaffolding they need to acquire both the content as well as the language skill.” Without this crucial help, students may struggle to keep up with the lesson and the material. Students who are still developing English proficiency or who require accommodations could fall behind.
Ismene Petroutos, a retired Edison ELL instructor, shared insight into the struggles of her students as they acclimate to American schools.
“ELLs fall into two categories: True ELLs who came from other countries and long term ELLs who were born here,” Petroutsos said.
Petroutsos thinks that labeling students who were born here as ELLs can have negative impacts beyond the classroom.
“Their self esteem is crushed, they are fluent in communicative English, they can’t pass the NYSESLAT because they lack cognitive and academic skills, instruction should focus on literacy. The ISS teacher should be able to do that!” Petroutsos said.
Ms. Dellabonta also emphasized that the impact would force teachers to adjust their lessons without the training or resources to properly support every student’s needs. In classrooms with up to 34 students, this shift could overwhelm teachers and reduce support for all. “It’s going to be less assistance to them in an everyday classroom setting. And even if they have services that are maybe where they are pulled from their classroom, they’re not going to start seeing those services either.” Ms. Dellabonta added.
Ms. Dellabonta had already expressed fears about the impact on students with special needs if the DOE were eliminated. In our previous article, she predicted that if the DOE were dissolved, students with special needs, such as those with IEPs and 504 plans, could face a significant reduction in the support they currently receive. “Students that have special needs, such as students with disabilities, this is where I fear NYC and especially students/families will feel the most impact,” Ms. Dellabonta said.
These issues extend beyond Edison. A 2025 Guardian article highlights how federal programs, like Head Start, have come under threat from the Trump administration’s proposed education cuts. While the administration ultimately spared Head Start from elimination, advocates warn that the closure of regional offices and frozen funding signal a gradual dismantling of these vital services.
The article notes, “Head Start is an economic boon for communities, whether it’s the jobs it creates at those centers or the jobs that allow Head Start parents to work,” emphasizing how programs like these not only provide critical services to children, but also support their broader communities. This trend of weakening services is raising alarms in New York City Public Schools.
Private Services = Limited Access for Most
If services like occupational therapy, speech therapy, counseling, and psychological evaluations lose federal funding and become privatized, many families may find them out of reach. For many, school-based mental health services are the only ones they can access.
“Even with support, it is extremely difficult to find services outside of school, like psychotherapy and psychiatric services,” said Mr. Anderson, a teacher and parent of two New York City students with special needs. “My family is blessed to have great health insurance — yet we have struggled for years to not only pay for, but to simply find, mental health providers to help us with our eldest son’s behavior issues.”
These challenges are especially severe for low-income and immigrant families. Privatization means access becomes about money. Mrs. Shwarts, occupational therapist at Thomas A. Edison, emphasized the danger of private access.
“Privatization of essential services would mean that families’ financial means would play a huge role in access to services. Low-income families may not be able to afford private therapy or other services. As a result, children would go without necessary interventions that support communication, emotional regulation, and development,” Shwarts said.
Even families with health insurance often spend months searching for specialists who accept their insurance and have open appointments. As Mr. Anderson put it, “We all acknowledge how important children are, but then our local, state, and especially national governments rarely seem to offer families the assistance they need.”
Specialized programs are simply at a huge risk. Ms. Dellabonta reinforced the concern, pointing out that even families with health coverage face serious barriers, “We can expect for those people who are dealing with privatized types of support services… they’re going to find extreme amounts of barriers and blocks in order to access that.” She added, “Therapy is often very challenging — to find somebody who partakes with your own insurance company and isn’t charging you a ridiculous co-pay.”
This isn’t just happening in special education. The Trump administration is also targeting gender-affirming care for transgender youth, pushing therapy instead of medical treatment. Doctors call it dangerous and political. Just like with special education, this shift takes support out of schools and puts it into private hands, where many families can’t afford it. Whether it’s disability or gender identity, the support is being left behind.
What’s at Risk for Edison?
As cuts to federal funding for education are on the rise, specialized education at Thomas A. Edison is at risk of being cut. These programs, which provide students with opportunities to explore their interests beyond the core curriculum, could be significantly impacted if budget cuts occur.
Specialized programs, extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations at Edison could be cut if funding decreases. These programs are essential for providing students with a well-rounded education beyond the core curriculum.
“I would think that things like AP courses or things that are specialized courses like drama or even something like PGC or Model UN, which are not necessarily required courses, could be impacted. Because if there is now a shortage of funding, that means that all those extraneous classes that are not required for graduation would also be in question,” Dellabonta said.
Ms. Dellabonta further explains that elective programs like Model UN, which fall under social studies and government courses, might face challenges if they are seen as less essential than core curricula. Additionally, she noted, “Anything that I would consider to be or Edison would consider to be an elective course or the AP courses could definitely see the largest impact if those teachers are needed for mainstream classrooms.”
Dr. Collado, the assistant principal of Organization, shared his concerns about the uncertainty surrounding funding in our PREVIOUS article, stating, “We don’t know the extent of the effect of the elimination until we have more information because right now we don’t have anything.” He also noted that federal funds play a crucial role in supporting essential resources, including technology and supplies, which may be at risk if the funding is redirected to other agencies. Dr. Collado believes the full impact remains unclear, but it’s evident that such cuts would reduce students’ access to programs that enhance their educational experience. Administration did not respond to our request for a follow-up comment.
Here is what the experts have to say:
We reached out to Dr. Bobbie Kabuto, the Dean of the School of Education at CUNY Queens College, and she shared her insight.
“When services for both English Language Learners and students with disabilities are reduced, students who fall into both categories suffer the most. In K–12 settings, they’re legally entitled to individualized supports, but when staffing or program cuts happen, students may be misdiagnosed or overlooked entirely. In college, where the responsibility to seek services shifts to the student, those who have communication or processing barriers face even greater hurdles—especially without accessible outreach or bilingual support,” Dr. Kabuto said.
Day-to-day activities in schools that no longer have these supports have the potential of looking very different. “In a school without these supports, students with complex needs often sit quietly, frustrated or lost. Teachers stretch themselves thin, trying to differentiate without training or tools. You’d feel tension in the classroom—students disengaged, teachers overwhelmed. Over time, you’d see more behavioral referrals and absenteeism, particularly among students who feel the system has no place for them,” Kabuto said.
State universities like SUNY and CUNY could be impacted with changes being made to Pell Grants that help students with their overall cost of higher education. So what does that mean for low-income backgrounds? “Pell Grants are often the difference between attending college and not, especially for students in NYC or across New York State who are balancing jobs, caregiving, or other life pressures. At CUNY, students already stretched resources to the limit. If Pell funding is cut, we’ll see increased attrition and students forced to pause or abandon their education, deepening cycles of poverty and widening opportunity gaps,” Kabuto added.
“Privatizing these services would make them unaffordable and inaccessible for many families. A single evaluation or weekly therapy sessions could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars a month. Low-income families—especially those navigating language, transportation, or work barriers—would simply go without. This would exacerbate learning gaps and mental health crises in schools that are already under strain,” Kabuto said.
“Even with federal protections, many families struggle to advocate for services—especially if they’re unfamiliar with the school system or face language and cultural barriers. I’ve worked with many families to help them understand how the special education system works. Their trust in the school eroded, and it took sustained outreach to rebuild that relationship.”
Looking ahead, if federal education support were to decrease, what possible steps would be taken, if any, to ensure that our children’s education is not negatively impacted?
“States should step in as equity leaders when federal support falls short—whether through emergency funds, targeted grant programs, or revised funding formulas that account for need. New York has the infrastructure, through BOCES, higher ed, and nonprofit partners, to deliver support if state priorities are aligned. NY has taken steps to reinvest in regional service centers for ELL and special education supports or fund residency programs that prepare clinicians to work in high-need districts,” Kabuto added.
