The day after the Florida Senate passed its high-priority “Rural Renaissance” package, President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the dismantling of the federal Department of Education. While some may view this as mere coincidence, the implications for education, particularly in rural counties, are significant.
With potential federal education funding shifting towards block grants, rural areas embracing educational choice could stand to gain the most. Currently, these regions, alongside low-income urban neighborhoods, receive a sizable share of federal Title I funds aimed at supporting public schools. This practice is not expected to change, even with the dismantling of the federal education department. However, what may shift is the discretion at the state level regarding the allocation of these funds.
In Florida, there is a possibility that Title I funding could be redirected in accordance with student enrollment patterns, allowing funds to “follow the child” to whichever school families choose. Parents enrolling their children in public schools would see their local districts receiving additional financial support, while those who opt for school choice scholarships would experience similar extensions in their funding.
Why does this matter? The absence of educational choice options poses one of the foremost challenges to the so-called “Rural Renaissance.” N.C. State University economist Bart Danielsen notes that many rural hospitals struggle to attract doctors because these professionals often desire educational opportunities for their children that are not typically available in rural public schools. This is a sentiment echoed by the growing population of “digital nomads” who can work remotely from anywhere.
“Many remote workers would be open to moving to a rural community or small town,” says Danielsen, “so long as they have internet connectivity and their kids have good learning options.”
Thanks to policymakers such as Sen. Corey Simon, rural communities in Florida could be better positioned than others across the nation to draw in families focused on education. Notably, Simon was a key figure in pushing through Florida’s universal Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), adopted two years ago, which enable families to seize innovative education opportunities like microschools and learning pods without the need for a large student body.
Additionally, a year ago, Simon successfully amended a proposed restriction that aimed at limiting parental choice in utilizing education scholarships. This year, he continues to advocate for educational opportunities by leading an initiative that would allow private school athletes to compete for different schools if their current institutions lack teams—a move that could preserve the essential community unity fostered by high school sports.
Integrating federal Title I funding with these universal scholarships can create substantial changes in rural and urban educational landscapes. This place-based strategy stands to uplift economically marginalized areas, which is an approach long overdue, according to experts.
Research conducted by Harvard's Raj Chetty illustrates that establishing “cross-class relationships” significantly aids children in escaping concentrated poverty. Areas that embrace greater economic diversity not only benefit economically but also create environments where children from lower-income families can flourish through exposure to varied lifestyles and career pathways.
If the expected changes resulting from the dissolution of the federal Department of Education lead to weighted scholarship opportunities for K-12 students in economically disadvantaged areas, it could dramatically impact educational opportunities. Such enhancements to scholarship opportunities can potentially lead to a revival of the Place-Based Renaissance that advocates envision for these communities.
In summary, the developments in Florida suggest that upcoming policy changes may shift the educational landscape significantly, especially for those in rural areas, pushing forward a movement for a more accessible and equitable educational system for all children regardless of their circumstances.
