When the coal mines shut down in Bell County, Kentucky, a once-thriving community that helped power the country was left behind, with limited job opportunities and shrinking prospects. Today, many residents live in poverty amid boarded-up storefronts and the sweeping scenery of the Appalachian Mountains.
It’s the kind of place where President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” message struck a chord — but also where some of his proposed policies could land the hardest, particularly his pledge to eliminate the Department of Education and reduce federal funding for public schools.
Bell County’s school district usually receives about 10% of its budget from federal sources, a share that temporarily grew in recent years due to Covid-19 relief funding. Even a modest cut to those dollars could have severe consequences for students and families, said Tom Gambrel, the district’s superintendent. The impact would likely include teacher layoffs, larger class sizes and fewer resources for the students who need them most.
A CNN analysis found that the 15 states most dependent on federal funding for public schools in 2022 all voted for Trump, while all but two of the 15 states receiving the smallest share of federal education dollars voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Gambrel, like many in Bell County, said he voted for Trump in November with students’ interests at heart. “I don’t think that anyone in our county wants to cut our school funding. And I don’t think that anyone voted for that,” he said. He added that he hopes Trump’s proposed cuts never materialize and believes his vote won’t ultimately harm his students. If they do, he said, it would be “catastrophic.”
In Bell County, schools serve as more than classrooms. The district is among the area’s largest employers and one of the few places offering after-school care. Schools provide warmth, stability and meals for children — all students in the district qualify for free breakfast and lunch. Some, Gambrel said, may not eat outside of school. “I would be confident in saying that when they leave on Friday, they might not eat again until Monday,” he said, noting that schools often send food home in backpacks to help families get through weekends.
Trump has offered limited detail about his education plans, and some supporters argue that even if the Department of Education were dismantled, federal funds could still be distributed through other agencies. In November, Trump named wrestling executive Linda McMahon as his pick to lead the Education Department.
Critics, however, warn Republicans have repeatedly pushed major reductions to federal education spending. In 2023, House Republicans faced backlash over a proposal to cut Title I funding — which supports low-income schools — by 80%. Last year, they floated a 25% cut. With Republicans expected to control both chambers of Congress, those proposals may now have a clearer path forward, raising alarms in rural districts like Bell County.
Gambrel said roughly 10% of his teachers are paid through Title I and Title II federal programs. Losing those funds would have far-reaching consequences. “It certainly wouldn’t allow us to have an adequate number of teachers in classrooms every day,” he said.
While Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025 on the campaign trail, education experts point to the Heritage Foundation-backed blueprint for insight into potential policy directions. The plan proposes expanding school choice and converting programs like Title I and IDEA into block grants with fewer federal restrictions — a move critics say could divert money away from vulnerable students.
“You notice a trend here: A lot of these proposals are impacting the most vulnerable students,” said Weadé James, senior director of education policy at the Center for American Progress.
She warned that removing federal oversight could allow states to redirect funds away from the low-income and special-needs students they were designed to help. “This is really just a pattern of making things worse for those who are already at the margins. And that’s concerning,” James said.
An analysis by the Center for American Progress found that phasing out Title I funding could eliminate nearly 6% of teachers nationwide, worsening shortages and disproportionately affecting Republican-leaning areas. Despite Trump’s public disavowal of Project 2025, many of its contributors have been tapped for key roles. According to CNN, at least 140 people involved in Trump’s first administration contributed to the plan.
Some education leaders are already bracing for cuts. The Kentucky Association of School Administrators recently circulated projections showing potential losses under past GOP proposals. Bell County could lose around $600,000, according to estimates.
“It would be easy just to look at this from the perspective of a loss of Title dollars and the impact on the schools, but at the end of the day, we’re harming children and families,” said Rhonda Caldwell, the group’s CEO.
Others caution that fears may be overstated. “Getting rid of the Department of Ed does not mean necessarily ending the funding lines that go to states,” said Marguerite Roza of Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab, noting moderate lawmakers could block major cuts.
Still, Trump has reiterated plans to return education control to states and expand school choice. In Kentucky, voters overwhelmingly rejected a school choice ballot measure in November. “This is one of these cases where (Republican) policies are stabbing their base right in the heart and will directly impact their kids,” said Will Ragland of the Center for American Progress.
For Bell County educators, the worry is immediate and deeply personal. With federal aid already shrinking after pandemic relief expires in 2025, even a 10% loss could mean fewer teachers and fewer services. “Every time that we get a cut,” Gambrel said, “we’re going to have to change something, we’re going to have to provide less for our students.”
Gambrel. What a dumbass.