Jennifer Agolino sees the impact federal funding has on her Monroe County students.
The money provides food for hungry students, resources for those with special needs and extra support for kids who may be struggling.
Agolino worries that policies outlined in Project 2025, a policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation and supported by some Republicans, could take that all away.
“If this funding is cut, my students who need reading and math support will be the ones who lose out on their teachers, their paraprofessionals, and the small group instruction that can help them get back up to grade level,” said Agolino, a reading specialist in the East Stroudsburg Area School District and president of the northeast region of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
The state’s largest teachers union held a news conference outside the district’s high school on Monday evening, claiming that U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, a Luzerne County Republican, and other federal legislators are putting children at risk.
Bresnahan responded to the PSEA concerns on Tuesday in a statement.
"I believe we should be giving students more paths to success, and that means supporting federal education funding that gives students and families more opportunities to get ahead,” he said. “Whether it’s Head Start, career and technical education, nursing, apprenticeships, or Job Corps, we need to make sure federal resources are reaching the programs that prepare students for a good career and a strong future."
Project 2025 and education
Project 2025 calls for the full phaseout of federal education funding over a 10-year period. That could mean schools within the 8th Congressional District would lose nearly $200 million in federal funds, according to PSEA.
“This is money that our schools rely on, that our students rely on,” said Jeff Ney, vice president of PSEA. “We became educators to make a difference. We envision a future where resources and funding are no longer obstacles for our students to reach their full potential.”
In 8th Congressional District schools, federal revenues support the employment of 530 education professionals, according to the union.
Project 2025 also calls for the elimination of the federal Department of Education. Last year, President Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the department and return education to the states.
As of earlier this year, the Trump Administration has either completed or started 53% of domestic policy recommendations outlined in Project 2025, according to the Center for Progressive Reform.
Hannah Pope, communications director for Bresnahan, noted that the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank responsible for Project 2025, issues a scorecard for members of Congress. Bresnahan received a 53%, lower than the 87% average for a House Republican.
“Rep. Bresnahan never endorsed Project 2025 and has explicitly sought continued federal funding for education programs like Head Start and Job Corps," Pope said.
Impact of federal funding in NEPA
Schools in the 8th Congressional District share $197 million in federal funding. That includes:
- $40.2 million for Title I, used to improve educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged and at-risk children.
- $61.8 million for IDEA, funding special education services.
- $9.5 million for Medicaid.
- $66.7 million for school lunch programs.
Bresnahan faces a hotly contested bid for re-election against Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat.
In his statement, Bresnahan highlights some of the education programs he has supported, including protecting programs that have faced proposed funding cuts or elimination, such as Job Corps and the TRIO programs, which provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He said he has also increased funding for Head Start and Pell grants and championed expanding access to hands-on training through apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and career and technical education, including securing $3 million in federal funding for the Wayne-Pike Career and Technical Center.
"Every student in Northeastern Pennsylvania, whether they're 7 or 17, deserves the opportunity to get a good education and build a future right here at home,” he said in the statement.
Monroe County schools receive $34.4 million in federal money annually. Barry Krammes teaches 11th grade American history in East Stroudsburg. He worries about what would happen without the funding.
“I think we’ve got to really do a better job of making sure we're taking care of our children,” he said. “I just fear what could happen to a lot of our students.”
