During a House Education Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) spoke about her disapproval for the dismantling of the Department of Education.
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NewsTranscript
00:00With that, I'll yield to the ranking member for an opening statement.
00:03Thank you, Chairman Kiley, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today.
00:06I'm encouraged that all of the witnesses submitted testimony that recognizes the opportunities
00:12and the challenges of artificial intelligence in K-12 education.
00:17We are at a pivotal time in education, and the path we choose will determine whether
00:21we can equip students and educators with the tools, the critical thinking skills, and the
00:26knowledge they need to succeed in an ever-evolving, technologically-driven world.
00:32Artificial intelligence is not in the distant future.
00:34It's in our schools right now.
00:37It's shaping how students are educated and how they learn.
00:40And although this is an exciting prospect, it also presents significant challenges, particularly
00:46regarding equity and regulation.
00:49Without a doubt, dismantling the Department of Education will exacerbate inequities and
00:55set us back as a nation.
00:57The Department of Education is not just a building.
00:59Through its programs, it plays a pivotal role in closing achievement gaps and helping to
01:03meet the goal that all students, including those in rural and low-income communities
01:08and including students with disabilities, have an opportunity to access high-quality
01:13public education.
01:15It is the Department of Education that helps level the playing field and provides critical
01:19resources that many districts are not able to afford without federal funding.
01:24Title I, for example, provides resources for schools with high concentration of poverty,
01:29a lifeline for the schools that need it the most.
01:32In fact, every witness here today mentioned in their testimony the importance of access,
01:38which is one of the main points of Title I.
01:41It's unclear what will happen to Title I, but without experienced implementation at
01:46the Department of Education, it's likely, assuming it survives, we will see support
01:51severely cut or limited, and the prospect of waivers to block grant Title I, which some
01:56Republicans are advocating for, is troubling because without accountability systems, we
02:00won't know if the dollars will go to the highest-need schools, resulting in deepening
02:05inequities and academic gaps.
02:07It's also important to mention that the Trump administration cut funding for a significant
02:11portion of federal grants that support educator professional development, including the Teacher
02:18Quality Partnership.
02:19Thankfully, federal courts have ordered the administration to restore these funds.
02:24Professional development opportunities are crucial to equip educators with evidence-based
02:29teaching practices, as well as prepare educators on AI technologies and other necessary skills
02:35needed to educate students for the 21st century.
02:39It's no question that a loss of funding or inconsistent funding or delayed funding disbursement
02:44will disproportionately harm struggling low-income and rural schools and students.
02:50Without a robust and equitable funding system with a strong accountability framework, the
02:54digital divide will widen, technology disparities will mirror existing inequalities, and that
03:00will leave vulnerable students with fewer opportunities to benefit from AI-integrated
03:05learning environments or to learn guardrails surrounding the use of AI.
03:10During the 1990s and early 2000s, as technology was rapidly evolving, it was the Department
03:15of Education that led efforts to close the digital divide.
03:19Without federal leadership, we would have seen even greater inequities.
03:22Unfortunately, today the Department of Education is still reeling from a significant reduction
03:27in force, including the elimination of the Office of Educational Technology.
03:32This office was instrumental in guiding schools on the safe and ethical integration of new
03:37technologies like AI, providing resources on data security and best practices.
03:43With the OET gone, we risk leaving schools and students unprepared for AI's opportunities
03:49and challenges.
03:50And related to the topic today, the massive chainsaw cuts to IES, the Institute of Education
03:56Sciences, is absurd.
03:58Research helps educators and policy makers make good decisions, and that's not something
04:02local school districts and states can easily replicate.
04:06Several states, including Virginia, California, and my home state of Oregon, have started
04:11developing guidance and policies about AI use in the classroom.
04:15But without the Department of Education's leadership, states are left to navigate this
04:19complex landscape on their own, which again creates inconsistencies and exacerbates achievement
04:25gaps.
04:26And we recognize that local schools and districts have the authority already to determine local
04:32decisions.
04:33Whether it be teacher standards, class size, curriculum, that is local.
04:37But it is this federal investment in research and leadership that makes a difference.
04:42So as we grapple with the role of AI in education, we must equip students with the skills necessary
04:48to survive in today's society and economy.
04:52The jobs of tomorrow will demand proficiency in technology, including in AI.
04:58And without proper education, students, especially those from underfunded districts, will find
05:04themselves at a disadvantage, unable to compete in an increasingly globalized economy.
05:10But this issue isn't just about access to technology.
05:13It's how we use the technology.
05:15As AI is integrated into classrooms, we must be diligent so it does not reinforce existing
05:21biases or create new ones.
05:24With the department's staffing cuts and an overwhelming caseload, the Office for Civil
05:27Rights in the Department of Education, which addresses discrimination in schools through
05:33investigation, they're struggling to keep up.
05:36We need federal leadership and research to help guide the use of AI in schools so all
05:40students, regardless of their zip code, income, race, have the opportunity to learn, grow,
05:46and thrive in this new digital age.
05:49That's clear from the testimony of the witnesses today, and it's also clear that eliminating
05:53the Department of Education, and for that matter, the National Science Foundation and
05:57other research-based entities, is antithetical to that goal.
06:01So as we move forward, Democrats are committed to providing equal access to public education
06:06for all students.
06:07We're looking for reasonable policymakers from either side of the aisle to join us in
06:11strengthening local schools by preserving these important federal investments in education
06:17and education research.
06:19This should not be a partisan issue.
06:21It affects every student, teacher, and family in the country, and it most certainly affects
06:26our potential for growth and competitiveness in a global economy.
06:29I look forward to the conversation, and I yield back the balance of my time.