Trump attempts to ease funding concerns of Illinois Dems' with Dept. of Ed order

In signing an executive order Thursday to close the U.S. Department of Education, President Donald Trump is putting to rest concerns raised by Illinois Democrats.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been critical of the anticipated move, warning the move could mean more than $3 billion fewer federal tax dollars for Illinois special education and other programs.

“We’re in dire straits if they cut this funding from Washington D.C. and most importantly our children and our families across the state of Illinois will suffer,” Pritzker said earlier in the day Thursday.

Illinois U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, insisted the U.S. Congress is the body that decides if the U.S. Department of Education should close. She opposes any cuts to the U.S. Department of Education.

“Like the Title I funding to low income school districts, like the funding for disabled students that allows them, or students with learning disabilities that allows them get a teaching assistant so that they can stay in the classroom with their peers,” Underwood said alongside Pritzker.

Before signing the order Thursday, Trump said Democrats’ concerns about those programs are unfounded.

“So if you look at the Pell Grant, supposed to be a very good program, Title I funding and resources for children with special disabilities and special needs, they’re going to be preserved in full,” Trump said.

The move will save taxpayers money and give better control of education to the states, Trump said.

“Probably the cost will be half and the education will be maybe many, many times better,” he said.